Boomerang

April 17, 2015April 17, 2015 | leftylex

I suppose it’s not much of a secret, but it’s official as of today. China adoption #2 is officially in progress. We are on the hunt for our Lok!

We don’t know who exactly Lok is yet or where in China he is, but we do know that we already love him and can’t wait for him to come home! We aren’t starting this adoption off with as much of a savings as we did with Kai’s adoption. In fact, we probably only have enough to cover our home study, BUT we are firm believers that God will provide whatever resources we need to bring Lok home. We’ve seen it happen time and time again. This adoption means truly trusting in Him to supply our needs.

So, if you’re sitting on an income tax refund larger than you know what to do with, I have an idea! Click here and go for it. https://www.youcaring.com/lovinglok What could you possibly buy that’s better than building a family?! 😉

So if you were thrown off by the title of this post, let me explain. A boomerang family is what the adoption community refers to as that special kind of crazy family who completes back-to-back adoptions using the same (albeit updated) dossier (adoption paperwork dissertation). I have seen many boomerangers go before us and I hope that we proudly carry the torch while we journey to Lok.

Let’s go back to China!

New Site Coming Soon!

March 22, 2015 | leftylex

So, clearly I haven’t touched this (absolutely horrendous) blog in about 18 months. And if you’re here, it’s likely due to the fact that you follow me on Instagram (@leftylex) since that’s where I’ve been microblogging for over 2 years now. And, if your an Insta follower, then you know that I’m enrolled in Marie Forleo’s B-School and that this week we were focusing on websites. Eeek! Quite the challenge for this chick. However, I have made a few steps towards establishing a real website (not just blog) that I will be proud of… and where you can actually pick up some Lefty Lex hoops! Thus, all of this rambling to simply to say that better is coming (and I pretty much just needed to post something so that my most recent post isn’t from 10/2013!). Cheers to improvement!

Lex

Two Shabby Sisters: Postponed

Image | June 27, 2013June 27, 2013 | leftylex

The darn venue double-booked and now we must postpone until further notice. Stay tuned… this fair is going to be good!

Weekend Wrap-Up: SDICM

June 25, 2013June 25, 2013 | leftylex

It is over!!! The San Diego Indie Craft Market was the big to-do this weekend, and I’d like to report that it was a success. Whew, what a relief! And today, your’s truly (who usually wakes up at 5AM) slept in until 6:47AM… that’s almost 2 extra hours! I justified it as being my reward for a job well done at SDICM. That’s justifiable… right?

Let’s start at the beginning. The initial 30 minutes of vendors setting up for a craft show looks something like day 2 of Extreme Home Makeover. You know, the demolition has already been done and a slew of contractors and laborers are running every which way with PVC pipe, wood beams, drywall, etc. Yes, that is almost exactly what initial set up of a fair looks like!

But instead of home building supplies and (generally) men, you have a flock of chicks running in and out of the building with tables, tablecloths, backdrops made of pegboard, wood, fencing, fabric, etc. And most importantly, their handmade lovelies! There is, of course, always the endearing (and no doubt begrudging) husband who assists his frantic wife during these crazy moments; my own husband was counted among these brave soldiers this time. Thanks, boys! The lucky husbands are free to leave once set-up is completed, but some poor souls get trapped into playing assistant during the entire fair. I was fortunate enough to have Momma Lex help me out once the fair craziness actually began. Thanks, Mom!

I was also fortunate enough to be back-to-back with my buddy Kate of Small and Great Crochet and Emily of Lovenote Crafts. Both of their booths were ridiculously adorable and I hate the fact that I was so busy that I couldn’t walk around the fair and take pictures as proof of just how amazing all of the booths looked. You’ll just have to take my word on it; I wouldn’t steer you wrong. Being next to Kate and Emily was lovely and I was genuinely so happy whenever I saw them make a sale. I did a cheesy dance and round of applause when I saw that Kate made a pretty big sale to a family who purchased a few of her items, including an adorable crochet octopus (the mom had a half-sleeve octopus tatoo)!

I did have a few beefs with the venue; namely, my booth space was so incredibly dark that you really could not see the colors of my embroidered pretties. (The photos above have been heavily brightened.) This killed me! I take painstakingly care over selecting just the right shade of a particular color when creating a piece, so the fact that all 6 shades of purple on an ombre hoop looked like only one shade of purple was extremely frustrating. I was not happy. The closer a customer stood to my display, the greater their cast shadow became. It was torture. And I’m sure my mom was tired of hearing me complain about it.

Overall, the highlight of my day was definitely meeting my fellow vendors. I absolutely love meeting other creative souls, and I hope to play vendor again with these lovely ladies… and soon! It almost felt like the first day of school when you walk into your classroom and look at a sea of faces; some familiar, some unfamiliar but all friendly. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: all craft fairs should close their doors to the public and remain open for vendors to shop (or swap) each other’s booths for at least 20 minutes. I was so sad that I was not able to experience all of the handmade goodness that was created by all of the SDICM vendors. All the more reason for the second round of the San Diego Indie Craft Market to come along very soon!

SDICM Vendor: Wyng’d Lyon Creations

June 20, 2013 | leftylex

Today is the final day of the San Diego Indie Craft Market vendor highlights. Are you sad? I’ve had so much fun meeting the other talented women that I will be selling alongside with. And today is no exception, so without further delay, let’s meet our final vendor, Wyng’d Lyon Creations.

Please introduce yourself to the good people! My name is Colleen and I’m the owner of Wyng’d Lyon Creations. I started sewing at the age of 7 and haven’t stopped since. Wyng’d Lyon has been my creative outlet to the public for over 12 years now and my creations vary from simple doll clothing to elaborate Halloween and Victorian costumes. I also I like to dabble in the world of painting, wood burning, needle work and other various arts and crafts. My business has taken over so much of my home, I actually took a leap of faith and moved my entire operation to an off site space where I do all my sewing and meet with clients by appointment. In addition to my creative process, I also carry handmade art and other creations from some close friends.

And what type of treasures do you make? A little bit of everything. Though, mostly I make men’s Steampunk clothing and accessories, apothecary bottles, wood burned and painted boxes, and whatever other works of art my brain comes up with.

What are your favorite materials of choice and what do you like to create with them? My favorite material would be fabric, mostly natural fibers, like silk, cotton, linen as well and working with various brocades.History is my biggest influence and inspiration for creating things. I love the time and artisan work that is put into things in the past and their general durability and craftsmanship.

Care to show us your five favorite creations?

1.) Mina dress (not for sale), 2.) men’s vests, 3.) decorated boxes, 4). apothecary bottles, and 5.) Day of the Dead skull.

And lastly, where can the good people find you online?

Website: http://wyngdlyon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyngdLyonCreations
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wynglyncreation
Blog: http://blog.wyngdlyon.com

Stop by this Sunday’s San Diego Indie Craft Market (info here: https://www.facebook.com/SDIndieCraftMarket) and say hello to Colleen! You can also visit Wyng’d Lyon’s Etsy shop by clicking here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/wyngdlyon. And don’t forget the importance of buying handmade!

SDICM Vendor: Vaux Swift Jewelry

June 11, 2013June 11, 2013 | leftylex

Let’s get back in the swing of things and meet another wonderful San Diego Indie Craft Market vendor… Vaux Swift Jewelery!

Hello there SDICM vendor! Please tell us who you are and a little about the fabulous shop you own. My name is Kerry Greenwood and my shop is called Vaux Swift Jewelry. I hand make beaded jewelry. I also make jewelry using metalsmithing techniques. Recently I have been hand dyeing muslin and turning it into baby swaddle blankets.

What are your design materials of choice? My favorite materials are semiprecious stones and interesting and unusual beads and chain. I am always looking for things I have never seen before. I love bright colors and interesting textures.

So what inspires you to create your masterpieces? I am inspired constantly by my environment, in my free time I am an amateur photographer so I am always exploring new and old places trying to see things I have overlooked. I am also very tactile, sometimes the feel and look of different materials will give me inspiration.

Would you like to share your five favorite pieces with us?
My little wire rings with geometric shapes are some of my new favorites, African chevron necklaces, faceted stone necklaces with drapery chain, super long dangly chain earrings, and my bright baby swaddles. (Quick interjection here! Are you seeing that chevron necklace? Gasp, it’s absolutely amazing!!!)

Aren’t these pieces wonderful?! A quick glance at http://vauxswift.storenvy.com/ made me want to start my Christmas list early!

Be sure to keep up with Kerry on social media at the following:

Instagram: @vauxswiftjewelry
Tumblr: http://vauxswiftjewelry.tumblr.com/
Facebook: Facebook.com/vauxswiftjewelry
Twitter: @Vaux_Swift
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kerryg81/my-work/

If you’re in the SoCal area, remember to meet Kerry in person on June 23rd at the San Diego Indie Craft Market! Click the link for more details: https://www.facebook.com/SDIndieCraftMarket?fref=ts. And don’t forget to check out my earlier interviews with other fabulous SDICM vendors… these chicks have some serious talent!

Weekend Wrap-Up: 6/8-6/9

June 10, 2013June 11, 2013 | leftylex

Hello good people ! I’m taking a quick break from the San Diego Indie Craft Market Highlights to do my usual Weekend Wrap-Up; and, just in time to touch on something very near and dear to my heart… the theatre!

On Saturday, I headed solo to the Old Globe’s White Theatre to watch Be A Good Little Widow. Yes, solo. I am a loner. I remember when I was a high schooler thinking, what kind of loser goes to the movies by herself? Let’s flash forward 11 years and I’m comfortable enough to attend the theatre solo. My how we change!

Once I found my seat in this rather small theatre, I took a look around at my fellow patrons. I noticed the same thing about this audience that I do about nearly every audience that I attend… I was practically the only person under age 50 and definitely the only non-Caucasian! Why, why, why young, non-white people do you not attend the theatre? I do not understand this! Husband and I generally attend the theatre with our favorite couple, the Lacortes, who happen to be Filipino and the 4 of us are generally among a very small handful of “minority” attendees. The only time that this was not the case was when we attended Allegiance which was a musical about Japanese Americans… so as you guessed, there were primarily Asian American attendees.

I’ll probably soapbox this topic in the future. I will leave with this thought however. Many people who follow this blog would be self-proclaimed “supporter of the arts”; we believe in living and/or supporting the handmade lifestyle. However, is the stage not an art form that is worthy of support? Are those actors not artists? If you’re an artist, then you’re an artist and I always leave the theatre feeling connected to the actors because what you are witnessing on stage is just another artist pursuing his or her craft… in front of hundreds of viewers. Enough semi-soapboxing!

Be A Good Little Widow was fabulous! I laughed, I cried, I laughed again, I had snot running down my nose, I laughed, I wiped away tears and more snot… you get the picture. While the cast consisted of only four actors, it was superb. The language was a little much, but the emotion that the story was able to evoke from you was amazing. If not for the fact that yesterday was the final performance, I would definitely recommend that you see it.

After the show was over, I waited by the stage door to congratulate and thank the cast. This is a practice that I like to do as frequently as I can… I’m such a creeper! I liken this to getting a positive feedback review on Etsy when you sell one of your most prized products; you want to know that the person receiving that item truly enjoyed it. Thus, I like to let the actors know just how much I enjoyed their performance(s).

(I love passing through the beautiful gardens of Balboa Park. Isn’t the photo above just divine?)

On the drive home, I listened to the soundtrack of Miss Saigon. This is a quite common occurrence for me, I always listen to musicals in the car; Wicked, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, etc. Yes, I’m a theatre geek! I get it and I’m not ashamed to say it. I dare you to listen to the entire soundtrack of Miss Saigon without breaking out with chicken skin (goose bumps) all over your body. Impossible! The magical voice of Lea Salonga (Kim, the female lead) is something that everyone should experience. Ah, I love her! And you do too… she’s the singing voice of Princess Jasmine and Mulan. See, I was right, you love her too!

(This. Happens. Every. Time.)

Sunday was largely uneventful. We attend church, visited the family, and…. watched the TONY AWARDS!!!! You know, the Tony’s? It’s the Oscar’s/Grammy’s for the Broadway world.

The Tony’s was wonderful. I live for this stuff. I now want to see Matilida the Musical and Pippin very badly! My thoughts on Kinky Boots? Eh, not sure. Cyndi Lauper is a little too out there for me. Has anyone seen it? What were your thoughts?

Have I thoroughly theatre-geeked you out yet? Oh well! Happy Monday, folks!

SDICM Vendor: Ceci Punch Designs

June 7, 2013June 7, 2013 | leftylex

Up on deck today, my interview with the Raw San Diego 2012 Accessory Designer of the year… Ceci Punch Designs!

Please tell the people a bit about yourself! I’m Ceci, a self- taught artist with a Graphic Design background who incorporates my passion for bringing old trends to life with a twist of modernization and my own punch of style.

What types of pretties do you make? A wide assortment of mixed designs for any style needed. Specifically, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and custom designs for special occasions.

What are your favorite materials? All my pieces are 100% handcrafted by me! I use the best quality supplies, beads and findings that I can get my hands on; anything vintage, fun and eye catching.

Who and/or what inspires you to create? My inspiration to create jewelry comes from… well, a lack of finding jewelry that is affordable and of quality, and also simply interesting or eye catching. I try to design jewelry for every style and jewelry that is fun and classic. One of my fave holidays has always been Dia De Los Muertos (Day Of The Dead). I have been obsessing this style for YEARS in jewelry, home decor, accessories and art. The bright colors and flowers and of course the skulls are so beautiful. I am also a fan of anything vintage and classic. The Pin-up and Rockabilly styles are also huge inspirations for my designs.

Care to share a few of your favorite creations?

Where can the people find you on social media? You can find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CeciPunchDesigns and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/cecipunch.

Show Ceci some love and check out her shop at: http://cecipunch.com. And be sure to look for her booth at the San Diego Indie Craft Market on June 23rd at Queen Bee’s Art & Cultural Center from 2-6PM! For more info on SDICM, click here: https://www.facebook.com/SDIndieCraftMarket?fref=ts.

SDICM Vendor: Small & Great Crochet

June 5, 2013June 5, 2013 | leftylex

And now, time to meet the lovely Kate Wood of Small and Great Crochet!

So who are you and what do you do? My name is Kate, and I’m a bit of a crochet newbie — I only learned how to put hook to yarn in March 2011, when my mom (who was just learning herself) taught me the basic stitches during a long car trip. Before I really even had the basics down, I was off and running! Err, I mean, stitching. I went from granny squares to amigurumi to Tunisian crochet within just a few weeks, and a year in, my apartment looked like a yarn store. My friends’ and family members’ homes overflowed with the stuff I’d made, too.

I make all crocheted things great and small! I design all of my own original patterns. I really have two directions I go in. One is my accessories, which are made from hand-dyed yarn. My yarns are named after the gemstone streets in PB, and my patterns for hats, scarves, and more are named for places around San Diego county.Two is my amigurumi, which more or less means “soft toy” in Japanese. Little stuffed critters! My tiny teddies (the little striped bears) are my bestsellers, but I do lots of other stuff. Making their debut at the SDICM will be ladybugs! I would like to interject here and say that, as an owner of one of these “tiny teddies”, they are absolutely adorable and EVERYONE needs one!

What are your favorite materials? Yarn, of course! But I really love working with natural fibers the best. In particular, I have hats that are done with a hand-dyed organically-grown cotton that are just yummy. I also dye a cotton/acrylic blend that I’m really fond of — it feels like an extra-cuddly version of your favorite t-shirt.

Who and/or what inspires you to create? A couple of things. One, I’m very inspired by San Diego. Besides all the pattern and dye naming, my accessories are all geared toward a SoCal aesthetic — laid-back but luxe. Second, nature — I know the stuffed toys and gifts I make are cartoon-y/kawaii versions of the real animals, but I just LOVE animals and plants, which is why I keep stitching them!

Also the reason I got into crochet in the first place is my family. My mom, and my beloved late grandmother, are/were both avid knitters, and really good at it. I always wished I were good at it, but I am all thumbs when it comes to knitting. My mom was taught the basic crochet stitches a couple of years ago by a friend, and though she didn’t really get the hang of it, she figured it out enough to teach me. Once I started, I basically never stopped.

Care to show and tell us about your five favorite creations?

1.) My little horse — I kept the first successful one I made (this pattern is HARD and it took a TON of trial and error to get it right). He’s become my unofficial mascot!

2.) The “Carlsbad” hat — this is a slouchy beanie worked in hand-dyed, organically-grown and processed cotton. The pic I attached shows examples of the hat in four colors — L-R: Garnet, Turquoise, Tourmaline, Sapphire. It’s the hat I wear the most myself (in the pic you have of me from North Park it’s what I have on).

3.) The “Tiny Teddy” — consistently my biggest craft fair hit. I get custom requests for these guys too. I’ve had several people ask me about doing a smaller version (an even tinier teddy!) so that may be in the works… it needs more testing before it goes live.

4.) My crocheted states. I know these don’t really fit precisely with either of my “themes,” but it was all the enthusiasm and encouragement that I got from giving these to people as gifts that really motivated me to turn crafting into a business. Another interjection here: these are super cute too!

5.) The “Swami’s” scarf — this is a pic of the mini version. I also do the Swami’s stitch as a headband and a larger scarf. I wind up using lots of circles (e.g., my whole booth display is patterned with giant orange circles!) so I feel like this is kind of my signature stitch. I meet a lot of crocheters via this scarf style — people always want to know how it’s made.

And lastly, where can the good people find you? Haha, where can’t I be found!
Website: http://www.smallandgreat.com
Blog: http://smallandgreat.tumblr.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smallandgreat
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/smallandgreat
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/smallandgreat

Kate is great, guys! Show her some love by checking out her Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/smallandgreat) or my visiting her in person at the San Diego Indie Craft Market on June 23rd from 2-6PM at Queen Bee’s Art & Cultural Center!

Are these not the cutest things?!

leftylex

stitches on a mission

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