Pinky swear!

Regular posts will resume shortly. I've just been so busy lately! I have lots of fun goodies planned for the blog though. Do you guys like embroidery? And awesomeness? And...some other stuff?

Macramé Monday!

Remember Archie comics? I once had hundreds (yes, hundreds, true story), but now I have none. I gave them away in high school and have regretted it ever since. They probably weren't worth anything, but that's not really the point now, is it? Anyway, I guess the Archie Universe got caught up in the 70s macramé fever too, because I distinctly remember a few story lines where the girls were making macramé things. After many Google searches (and much cursing of my stupid decision to give all my comics away), this was the only one I found.

Photo found at MightyGodKing

Of course this means that vintage Archie comics have been added to my list of things to look for in thrift shops. Are any of you wonderful readers lucky enough to possess any copies of Archie macramé awesomeness? I'd be forever in your debt if you scanned them to share with the world. Pretty please with sugar on top? :)

Macramé Monday!

Advertisement from McCall's Needlework & Crafts, published Spring 1978

I'm so jealous! A whole room full of color-coordinated macramé projects! With three, count 'em, three different ways to hang your plants - from the ceiling, on the wall, and in the windows! And I do believe that's an owl on the project board.

Didn't I tell you that Google was my BFF?

Yup, this was pretty much my reaction, and now here I am! I may even start posting things one of these days. If you haven't signed up yet, but have been just dying for an invite, I'd be happy to send you one. I'm pretty sure it's still early enough in the game that you'd be able to say, "I was using Google+ before it was cool". Then again, if I think it's cool, then it probably isn't.

Birdies!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from my visit to the Birds of Prey Visitors Center last May. I can't believe that was over two months ago! Time sure flies when you're procrastinating writing blog posts.

Phoenix the Turkey Vulture

All of the other birds either stayed towards the back of their cages or screamed at anyone who came too close. Not this cutie though! Phoenix hopped right up to the front and looked me in the eye. We had a lovely little chat. And there was another personable Turkey Vulture named Judge Dread who was in the flying demonstration. He was a cranky boy, and flew up into the trees refusing to come back down. He was still ignoring the handlers an hour later when we left. This is why Turkey Vultures are awesome.

Dramatic hawk is dramatic

Not much to say about the hawks. They were hopping and fluttering about on their perches, twisting their heads around to get a good look at us. Later on, one managed to get off his tether somehow, and swooped down during the Barn Owl's flying demonstration. He obeyed the handlers though, and was caught before he could catch his snack. Needless to say, poor Cleo was pretty spooked after that.

Cleo the Barn Owl with the handler

Falcons!

There were falcons galore! It's pretty creepy when they're all sitting quietly, staring at you, most likely plotting  your demise. It reminded me of that scene in The Birds where the blonde lady is sitting outside the schoolhouse. It's super quiet, and after a couple minutes she turns around and realizes that the jungle gym has completely filled up with birds while she had been sitting there.

Storm the Golden Eagle

Manwe the Bald Eagle

The eagles were absolutely beautiful! They looked so soft and fluffy and I wanted to hug them. I didn't though. I rather like having all of my fingers, thankyouverymuch. Besides, Manwe probably had fishy breath.

Anakin the Harris Hawk on my arm! Yay!

This is the lucky hawk that I got to play with on the Hawk Walk. You get to wear one of those big fancy gloves and go for a short stroll through the woods with a hawk and a handler. The hawk flies overhead and lands on your arm to eat the bits of food that the handler puts there, flying away again as soon as he's done. I did get to walk the last few minutes with Anakin tied to my glove, though he wasn't especially happy about it. In fact he seemed downright indignant. I, however, was thrilled!

Macramé Monday!

I think it's high time for another dose of macramé owls, don't you? After all, they're probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of macramé. Well, owls or plant hangers, I suppose. Or maybe jewelry. Purses? Well, it's definitely not speaker tables or belts for shy hot pants wearers anyway.

And how about that little owl grouping on the table? I especially like the little metal one in the middle. I'd love to find a few metal owls to add to my collection. Perhaps even a few 80s hair metal owls with teased long hair, leather pants and the obligatory power ballad.

Photo from Accenting With Macramé, published in 1979

"Wise old bird says..."popularity level continues." We selected one that could be very personally yours. Have fun scavenging for driftwood and collecting beads and feathers. Then pick cord that is a natural or one of the synthetic types, but get busy and make several owls and be prepared to sell them before you can give a HOOT!"

Well, what are you waiting for? Get busy and make several owls!

Iron Man and sand art, together at last!

Come on, tell the truth. Would you have passed this up? Of course you wouldn't! It's all kinds of awesome! I'd really like to know who's idea it was to combine the latest incarnation of Iron Man with a retro kitschy craft like sand art. I want to be their friend.

This isn't really a tutorial or even a review of the Iron Man Sand Art Fun (yes, you have to say the whole thing). It's just something I did recently that amused me greatly (it usually doesn't take much). I probably would have done a sand art tutorial, if the very awesome Jennifer of Naughty Secretary Club hadn't beat me to it.

Sand is messy. If you feel like making some sand art of your very own, Iron Man or otherwise, make sure you have a big piece of paper beneath your masterpiece. You have to pour the excess sand off, and it's a lot easier to dump it on the paper, and use that as a funnel to get it back into it's container. Or, you can just leave it there like I did.

My only complaint with the Iron Man Sand Art Fun is that there really weren't any outlines to fill in. That is what the black sand was included for, right? This was the best I could do, short of busting out the exacto knife and making my own outlines. My fingertips were quite happy that I didn't attempt that.

And there you go, one completed Iron Man Sand Art Fun! I assumed mixing the red and yellow sand would make an orangey looking sand, but no, not really. Oh well. I left his eyes and mouth white on purpose, though in retrospect, I probably should have made the mouth black.

Iron Man, Iron Man, does whatever an Iron Man does...

Ooh, pretty! I'll probably pick up some colored sand to play with later on, 'cause this was actually kinda fun!

pew pew pew!

OMG you guys! Animated Space Invaders cross stitch!

via Mr X Stitch via Craftster

Check this out for more laser love!

Macramé Monday!

Photo from Macramé Enchantment: Book 5, published in 1980

It's a pretty mirror/shelf/macramé wall hanging! And look! It's our puppy friend from a few mondays back (this project is from the same booklet). I would love to have this guy actually, or maybe even two flanking my front door to freak out girl guides and encyclopedia salesmen.

Photo from Accenting With Macramé, published in 1979

"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most attractive of us all. Carol Reeves used a square mirror tile and worked the macramé design with wood beads in REFLECTIVE OCTAGON. The synthetic cords that brush out lend a most decorative effect."

Here's another mirror decorated with macramé! The brushed out look was never a favorite of mine, but I think it's grown on me a little. I do love how everything in this photo is perfectly color coordinated. And just look at that awesome wallpaper! In fact, the only thing that could make this photo any better would be if the wallpaper was the fuzzy kind. A couple of the closets in my mom's house are still papered in a velvet, straw colored damask print. Hmmm, now that I think of it, the puppy statue would probably look pretty darned awesome with it.

And it's not macramé related, but happy 4th of July to my American readers!

need a creative boost?

Found at Today and Tomorrow

Happy Canada Day!

I didn't have any special plans for today. It was all gray and damp outside (surprise), so I just hid inside and watched CBC's coverage of Will and Kate - oh yeah, and all the Canada Day stuff too. How cool is Kate's red maple leaf fascinator? I just love it! And the noon concert was pretty awesome, with Great Big Sea as the closing act.

Photo from Just Jared

Oh, and I made patriotic noms! Did you guys do anything fun? Barbecues, beers and fireworks?