Well here's something to love about Sundays: I've eaten, coffee-d, showered, and put on fresh pajamas, and I feel totally ready for my day. And more coffee.
I talked a little in this post about how overwhelmed I feel swimming in the craft soup that is our corner of the Interwebs, and I have now come up with a method that's fresh and crazy-making in a whole new way than the older crazy-making methods. This tried (for a week) and true(ly insane) method is to keep dickety-nine tabs open in my browser until I'm ready to write a blog post, at which point I can enter all of the links in one handy place, archiving them until Typepad revokes my charter for forgetting to pay the bill forever. So far, so good, until the Fricklet decides to whomp the laptop with his new favorite whomper (one of my acrylic quilting rulers), sending all of my carefully compiled tabs into Interwebs oblivion and me into a fetal knot on the dining room floor.
The only upside to that eventuality is that I promise to take a self portrait of it.
Anyway! I'd really like to increase the degree to which our house feels like our home. Really, really US. I kicked this plan off a year ago when I bought Mr. Frick this fabulous vinyl decal for the holidays, and then the plan ate a crapton of acorns, curled up, and went into hibernation until reemerging almost exactly a year later. Let's hope this year I can keep it awake and active.
(How-to-acquire-one-for-oneself info here on Flickr.)
Our house has for too long felt like a neutral or generic "home space" rather than a place that's uniquely ours. So Mr. Frick and I have begun work on, among other things, an embroidery wall (inspiration!)- he's currently at work on a tiny Mexican wrestling mask from Jenny Hart's Lucha Libre series. I have plans to make one of these, inspired by Allison's at Cluck Cluck Sew:
Maybe I've just got home on the brain, because I'm so attracted to little houses lately. Like these that Maritza is making over at KnottyBits:
(photo used with permission, tutorial here)
I have BIG plans for this project, perhaps in a paintbox-style quilt. (Oh, and speaking of paintboxes, GAH- Elizabeth has started a new Quiltalong on Oh! Fransson and I think, despite the fact that my blocks from the last QAL are still sitting in a cupboard somewhere, that I must do it, because another one of my Big Plans is to work from the stash as much as possible, as Caro admonishes me and um, yeah, I totes have all the stuff I need for this one already.)
And also I WILL be making one of these, because O.M.G. But mine will be hello-yellow.
One thing I will NOT be making (though it turns out it's not hard to find instructions for how to do so) is a macrame owl. Instead, in the grand tradition of entitled children everywhere, I will steal my parents' one.
I know my sister doesn't want it, because it terrifies my nephew. Hurrah! Poor little fella! My Aunt Carol made it, so big tip o' the hat down Greensboro, NC way.
Another little something I'd like to do more of in 2010 is make more of my own clothes. I have nowhere near the talent or ambition you'll see here on The Sew Weekly, but I'll definitely be reading along because that is an incredible project.
Aaaand now my tabs are but the usual four. Phew.
Wow, look at that. Despite my best intentions, I might have made some resolutions after all. Did you?
If you're using Firefox and the tabs all close, you can go to 'history' 'recently closed tabs.' It's a LIFEsaver.
I've been thinking about some sort of challenge for sewing my own clothes too. I just need to find the motivation (and the fabric.)
Posted by: caro | January 10, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Greensboro? Is that where your macrame'ing Auntie is? I'm there, or near there, too. Your linkages are very inspiring!
Posted by: Mandy | January 10, 2010 at 03:53 PM
So glad you swiped this owl because it is 100% you times 10.
Posted by: Heather | January 10, 2010 at 04:21 PM
I have avoiding writing goals until now, but I will spill it. Serge. Make t-shirts for us. and tshirt skirts for me. And one of those pink houses please. But mine shall be red and lavender, me thinks.
Posted by: Mamie | January 10, 2010 at 05:47 PM
love the macramé owl. I would just give up on the whole organizing thing - it's never worked for me!
Posted by: sam | January 10, 2010 at 06:23 PM
I covet thy owl. I wish my Mom had made some very cool bird macrame like yours did.
I must make a house block. A pillow for the wee ones room? A placemat? Ohhh...
Posted by: Crystal | January 11, 2010 at 05:20 AM
Between that embrodiery felty thing and the macrame owl, I am smitten to all hell and back with this post! Keep those tabs open.
Boyfriend's mom has an appropriately dusty and decaying macrame owl. However it's still cute as hell!
Posted by: monica | January 11, 2010 at 05:43 PM
YAY North Carolina! I'm in Wilmington, been to Greensboro many times. I'm grappling with eleventy million projects as well, eek! Its all a little overwhelming. I joined Sparkpeople and tried to find you on there but whenever I searched for juliefrick no results came up. If you want to find me my username is redrachelknits. We should keep each other motivated!
Posted by: Rachel | January 12, 2010 at 10:48 AM
Whoa! I don't check in for a few days and now I have project ideas to last me 2010.
Thanks for all the linkies!
Posted by: Miss Scarlett | January 15, 2010 at 11:55 PM
The embroidery hoop walls in that link are so awesome! As is the decal and your family wall. So many great projects going on here! I have a feeling your home is going to be pretty great by the time you are done.
Posted by: jane | January 16, 2010 at 03:21 PM
Wow... a post of inspiration. Thank you for sharing! I am looking for buttons for my own initial now!
Posted by: Silverilix | January 21, 2010 at 10:47 PM
amazing home and crafting
Posted by: Karen C | January 07, 2011 at 09:55 AM
Love the macramé owl. I would just give up on the whole organizing thing - it's never worked for me! Between that embrodiery felty thing and the macrame owl, I am smitten to all hell and back with this post! Keep those tabs open.
Posted by: Affordable Insurance | October 19, 2011 at 02:28 AM