An Ode to Instagram

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013 | leftylex

I. Love. Instagram. Like an insane amount. While I’ve fiddled with other forms of social media, namely Facebook and Twitter, neither have yielded the same results as Instagram. As of this morning I have nearly 400 followers and less of 10 of those are actually friends and family members, the rest are strictly Lefty Lex fans. Amazing!

Let me share with you a few of the awesome things that have resulted from my IG love:

I’ve been able to connect with a bunch of adoptive mamas-in-awaiting and have been blessed to contribute some Lefty Lex goodies towards their adoption fundraising efforts. (Due unto others…)
I’ve been able to connect with an insane amount of crafty biz chicks and watch the beauty of this community as everyone supports/promotes one another. This connection ultimately brought me to my next upcoming fair, Penelope Lane Boutique! (SoCal mark your calendars for 9/28 and take a trip to Seal Beach; more info to come).
I found my new most favoritest product ever… the teeny tiny hoop pendant by Dandelyne!!! I can’t even put into words how completely head over heels in love I am with these hoops. Seriously. I received my first shipment (of many to come) two weeks ago and have been in love ever since. Sorry Husband.
I had an insanely successful Instasale with the support of my fabulous IG followers! I plan on doing a full length blog on this experience alone in the near future. But it was a fabulous experience and I plan on doing many more to add funds towards our adoption.

5. I have been able to share bragging photos of my adorable niece! Yes, I am officially an auntie! My sister-in- law gave birth to our first niece, Emersyn Lucille, one week ago today and little Emery has stolen our hearts. I know that I’m biased, but is she not the cutest little niece to ever grace the planet? I can’t wait until she and her parents move back to San Diego so I can teach her to be the youngest crafter ever!

In closing, if you’re not yet on Instagram, get there! And once you’re there, follow @LeftyLex. Then you can keep up with all of my shenanigans in real time! I wish you all a very merry Tuesday and I’ll speak with you soon. Cheers!

*Disclaimer: I will do my very best not to include photos of the above child in every single post from here on out, but no promises can be made. You have been warned.

Team Rierra

July 19, 2013 | leftylex

Can I theatre geek you out for a minute? Or maybe for this entire post. Yes? Why, thank you! We haven’t chatted about theatre in a bit and I’m dying to so play along, won’t you?

Okay, I want to talk about Team Rierra. What, you have no idea what Team Rierra is? Well then friend, you are in for a treat! Team Rierra is composed of Canadian star Ramin Karimloo and American cutie Sierra Boggess.

Among others, they have starred together in Phantom of the Opera as the Phantom (Eric) and Christine Daaé and they starred in the sequel to Phantom, called Love Never Dies. They. Are. Magical.

That romantic chemistry… oh my! Their chemistry is probably the best of any two actors who have ever graced the stage! They are adorable. But, he’s married and she’s engaged. (Insert sad sigh here.) The romantic in me wants them to be together. However, the realist in me thinks that I would be very, very concerned if I were either of their significant others. Watch the clip below and tell me that you wouldn’t be a tad bit nervous. This is part 4 of a 4 segmented interview; and all other clips are on Youtube if you’re so inclined.

I am not alone in my love for Team Rierra. Hardly. There is a whole giant theatre geek movement with endless social media accounts dedicated to the two of them

And at the rate of completely embarrassing dear Husband, I am going to share a story that made me fall even more in love with him a few weeks ago. I was in my office listening to some Broadway station on Pandora when “Beneath A Moonless Sky” (from Love Never Dies) began playing. I, in attempt to be a smart Alec, asked Husband who was singing the song. He paused for a second, listened to a few lines, then said “Ramin Karimloo”. I was astonished! So I prompted further, and asked who Ramin was singing with. He listened for another line or two then said “Sierra Boggess”. I was in love all over again! This was immediately followed by him saying, “See Wife, I listen to you.”. What a fabulous man that I am married to! (Now keep that between us, I don’t think he would want you to know that!)

You are officially Lefty Lex theatre-geeked out now. Have a happy Thursday, carry on!

Christmas in July

July 18, 2013July 18, 2013 | leftylex

Hello and happy Wednesday! Today marks three more days until my last craft fair of the summer… I think. I love doing fairs but while they can be exciting, they are also exhausting!

I am, however, looking forward to this particular fair for a few reasons:

It’s going to be a small fair,
I’m sharing a booth with my crafty pal, Kate of Small and Great Crochet (!!!),
This fair’s theme is Christmas (and I had a lot of Christmas items left from last year!)
I get to have conversations with other individuals who support the handmade movement!

This fair is being hosted by the Granite Hills High School Choir from 8AM to 3PM at 1719 E. Madison Ave in El Cajon, CA. You’ll see our little blue 10×10 pop-up in the parking lot. And (if you can keep a secret), we’ll be the ones with a Christmas tree in our booth! Sshhhh! We thought that we were so clever with that idea. Little crafty geniuses.

Click here to check out the event’s Facebook page and to see which other vendors will be there along side us: https://www.facebook.com/events/167172560128811/.

And you can read what Kate’s saying about Christmas in July here: http://www.smallandgreat.com/events. You can also shop Small and Great here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/smallandgreat.

If you’re a local San Diegan, then I hope to see you there!

Happy Bastille Day!

July 14, 2013 | leftylex

Bonjour! Apparently this Sunday is Bastille Day in France, which celebrates the storming of Bastille on July 14, 1789. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on French holidays so, by all means, click here if you want to educate yourself further: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day.

I bring this up only because I am super excited about the amount of traffic that I have been receiving on my Etsy page and all of this due to this little guy below!

While I have made several country hoops in this fashion, Mr. Vive la France is my most popular. This little guy was featured in several treasury lists over the past 36 hours. My favorite of which being: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjU5NTExNjF8MjcyNDcyMzAzMA/bastille-day?index=1&atr_uid=, http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjEzMTkwNXwyNzIyMTU4MTU5/joyeux-fete-nationale?index=3&atr_uid=, and http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjEzMTkwNXwyNzI0NzI0MzQw/bleu-blanc-et-rouge?index=0&atr_uid=. I love being in Treasury Lists and seeing how my work has been curated along with other handmade artisans. And due to these treasury lists I have acquired at least 20 new French followers of Lefty Lex Creations on Etsy! Woohoo!

I have made no secret in hiding the fact that Spain (France’s neighbor to the West) is my favorite country to visit. I will, however, say that France is the most beautiful place that I have ever been to! I always like to follow this by saying that that is a pretty big compliment seeing as I grew up in Hawai’i and live in Coronado, California. France is literally jaw-dropping. I’ll share just a few photos then send you on you merry little way to enjoy the weekend.

I guess I should explain the “Hi Sam” photo. Sam is my former co-worker and best guy friend who always seems to live hundreds of miles away from me. Over the past several years, whenever either of us travel we say “hi” to each other on slips of paper, in the sand/dirt, etc. It has become a fun little to-do between the two of us and our photos now span several countries and States… and now you’re in on our secret too! Sshhh… Au revoir!

Important & Personal News

July 11, 2013 | leftylex

Hello! Remember me? I know, I know, I’ve been the world’s worst blogger as of late. It’s not that I do not love sharing with you; it’s just that I have been so insanely busy in my little corner of the planet.

Now, time to get personal. Okay, the entire vision/purpose of Lefty Lex Creations shifted a few months ago from something that I enjoyed doing/a goal that I had set for myself to its current mission: Operation Adoption Fundraiser! I share this because yesterday was my 29 ½ birthday. (Yah, happy halfie to me!). Now normally people over the age of 9 do not give a hoot and holler over half birthdays, right? And it is certainly every woman’s lifelong goal to never reveal her age; especially if she’s hitting a milestone year. However, I am broadcasting my 29 1/2th because it means that I have exactly six months until Husband and I can officially submit our application to adopt from China! Hoorray!!!

Now, there is still MUCH to be done in between now and January 10^th. One of the largest being fundraising. Husband and I are very smart with our money and are not lavish people; so we have saved a healthy amount towards our adoption over the past year or so. However you would be amazed at how much an adoption costs!

The “average” Chinese adoption costs between $27,000-$35,000. Um, yikes? Why so much? (This is the question that usually follows when I astonish people with those numbers). Well, a bunch of little adoption fees add up to one giant expense overall. Application fee: $500. Homestudy: $4,000. Dossier fee: $800. Orphanage donation: $7,000. Child’s Visa: $380. Closing an adoption and brining your child home: priceless. (Sorry, I couldn’t refuse; the list was beginning to sound like a bad credit card commercial!). Obviously, the fees I listed are not the only one associated with adoption, but you get the gist.

I share this all to explain why I’ve been blog MIA. I have been working my little butt off on custom orders and preparing for craft fair after craft fair after craft fair. All of this because I want to be a mom and we need funds in order to make that a reality. If that means that I have to continue waking up at 5AM and put 3 hours of Lefty Lex work in before going to the office and then picking up the stitching again as soon as I’m home and put in a few more hours, then so be it. I’m not looking for pity here, I’m just sharing. And if you have a rich uncle who wants to donate to our adoption, by all means, send him our way!

In the meanwhile, I encourage you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and (best of all) Instagram and if you see something that you like, I’d be more than happy to sell it to you. I also do custom orders (which I absolutely love) so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, then just ask. I will be starting bi-weekly Insta-sales, so I’d encourage those of you on Instagram to follow @leftylex.

Geez, I can be wordy! Well, hopefully I didn’t bore you all to death, and if you’ve made it this far I applaud you. And I’ll reward you with this tidbit. When shopping at my Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeftyLexCreations), use coupon code: ADOPT to receive 15% off all purchase of $18+. And please, pass the word along! Thanks for listening to me ramble, I’ll see you all soon.

Round 2: Two Shabby Sisters Craft Sale!

June 27, 2013 | leftylex

It would appear that I am a glutton for pain. Yes, I am doing yet another craft fair this weekend… in just 4 days!

Remember the lovely girls from Two Shabby Sisters? If you don’t, then do yourself a favor and click here: https://leftylex.com/2013/06/20/sdicm-vendor-two-shabby-sisters/. Well, they have decided to unload of a few more of their leftover SDICM lovelies by having a fair of their own and asked if I would like to join them. Of course! Needless to say, I am going to be stitching my little heart out for the next 3 days so that I am well stocked for the TSSCS. Wish me luck!

And what providence, I haven’t unloaded my car yet!

If your’re in the SoCal area, please stop on by. More details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/TwoShabbySisters?fref=ts

And here’s my tiny ad here: http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/eve/3896049403.html be sure to pass this along. Cheers!

SDICM Vendor: Lefty Lex Creations

June 19, 2013June 22, 2013 | leftylex

Yup, I am now going to highlight myself! Those of you who are regulars to the blog already know about me, but those of you who are are new-comers around here are not yet so familiar. So allow me to introduce myself.

Who I am and why I do! I’m Alexcis and I’m the owner of Lefty Lex Creations. I became interested in handmade items about five years ago and began putting my 8th grade Home Ec sewing skills to use making baby quilts for friends. I loved the creative process and being able to give something that I had personally made, not store-bought, but had to put that creativity on hold for a few years while I completed grad school. Once graduation was over my poor brain was dying for a creative release and I became consumed with sewing, knitting, and (most recently and fervently) hand embroidery! Since then I have not been seen without some form of craft in my hand. I stitch whenever and wherever I possibly can; I’m obsessed!

What lovelies do I make? While I do occasionally sew and knit still, embroidery is my primary art form and embroidered hoop art is what I enjoy creating the most. Embroidered hoop art is an embroidered design, on a piece of fabric, that is affixed to a wooden embroidery hoop. Was that technical enough for you? Hoop art is basically decor; it can be wall decor or it can be placed in a plate holder to fancy up a shelf, desk, table, etc. I also like using the teeny tiny 3″ hoops as added flair when gift-wrapping presents!

Favorite tools of the trade? This is the thing that I love most about embroidery… the materials are so basic! My favorite embroidery supplies are small wooden hoops (never mind that plastic nonsense!), DMC embroidery floss, and quality solid, colored fabric. I have been drawn to muslin and lace lately but I typically love all the bright colors found in Robert Kauffman’s Quilter’s Tweed line. Love them!

What inspires me to create? Creating is first and foremost, an artistic release for me. There is nothing like picking up a needle and floss after being glued to a computer screen for 8 hours in the office! But my primary reason for selling my creations is to raise funds for my adoption! My husband and I are in the embarking upon an international adoption and it is going to cost around $32,000 to bring our little one home from China. So, I suppose, my true inspiration is create is parenthood; we are very anxious to become parents!

My five favorite creations.

1.) Talking heads: I adore these colorful silhouettes and have probably made many more than I will ever need (or sell)! I love their simplicity yet their boldness. 2.) Art Deco Randomness: I love the colors and whimsy of this piece. I just let the needle move where it wanted to and this was the final product! 3.) Bride & Groom hoops: I made my first set of these hoops for my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding but have sold quite a few pairs since then. They are fun little props to use at a bridal shower or on the big day itself. 4.) Happy Thoughts in Ombre: I used fly stitches and monochromatic color palettes to create lovely ombre effects in every color of the rainbow. If you’re looking for a certain color, it’ll be with me at the fair! 5.) Embroidered Lace Necklaces: I inherited yardage of vintage lace with stains throughout so the only logical solution was to cut it up into pieces and use them as necklaces! The designs are very simple but make a big impact.

And that’s me in a nutshell, folks! Feel free to follow me on social media at:

Blog: https://leftylex.com/
Vine: Lefty Lex
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeftyLexCreations
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeftyLexTweets
Instagram: @leftylex

You can also find my products on Etsy by clicking here:http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeftyLexCreations! And don’t forget to visit me this weekend at the San Diego Indie Craft Market. Just 5 short days! For more info click here: https://www.facebook.com/events/366212010146804/?fref=ts. I look forward to seeing you around!

Weekend Wrap-Up: 5/18-19

May 21, 2013May 22, 2013 | leftylex

What a weekend! This was the first full, stitch-free weekend that I’ve had in months! I did not touch a single needle! Hmm, let’s reword that, I just made myself sound like a junky! I did not stitch one single stitch. There, that’s better.

Saturday was a full day. After teaching my aerobics class, I spent the day (almost exclusively) with my baby brother. I would like to mention that yesterday was his 16^th birthday and I am in utter shock that he is already this old! I love him so much and I am always so proud of him.

We went to the North Park Festival of the Arts to check out the North Park Craft Mafia.

but specifically, Kate of Small and Great Crochet!

Kate is an amazing crochet-ista (yup, that’s a word, just invented it). I fell head over heels in love with the cutest little colorful amigurumi bear. Guys, it is seriously the cutest thing ever. I am 29 and I honestly just wanted to hold it all day; it’s that cute.

Kate’s space was so inviting and cheery. It was quite worth fighting the beer garden mob just to check out her wares.

Kate actually dyes her own yarn! You should check out the rest of her amazing yarned-goods on her Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/smallandgreat

We walked around the fair for quite a bit checking out all of the eye candy. I even came across a fellow stitcher! She had quite a few Downton Anbbey inspired pieces, which I absolutely adored!

After the fair, my bro and I headed over to (my most beloved) Balboa Park for an Air Force Commissioning Ceremony. We had some time to kill prior to so we photographed a few soon-to-be-listed Lefty Lex products…

And then we toured the Rose Garden. The flowers smelt amazing! And we ran into about 137 couples taking pre-prom photographs. I know that I’m not a teen anymore, but I’m also not 52; so when exactly did it become common for high schoolers (or their parents) to hire professional photographers to do photo shoots pre-prom? Weird.

We then headed to the Spreckles Organ Pavillion where we watched the SDSU’s ROTC Class of 2013’s Commissioning Ceremony where our long-time family friend, JR, received his commission as Second Lieutenant! JR and his family have lived next door to my parents for at least 11 years, so I have seen this guy go from a pudgy little middle schooler to high school football player to college graduate/Air Force officer. I am immensely proud of him! Whether he knows it or not, he’s been a great example to my brother as he too wants to join the AF after college. I’ll truly miss him and wish him the best of luck as he heads overseas.

I love this kid!

Sunday was fabulously uneventful as Husband and I did nothing more than attend church, visit with my sisters for a bit, and shop. Just the wind-down needed after Saturday’s hustle and bustle. Hope you’re weekend was equally enjoyable!

Iris Embroidery

May 18, 2013May 18, 2013 | leftylex

While exploring in the attic this past weekend I came across a vintage piece of embroidery that I completely forgot about. Two years ago, Husband and I lived next door to the most amazing couple, Ken & Iris. They were from South Africa and , when we met them, they had been married for 67 years!

The photo on the left was taken the day before their 68th wedding anniversary. The photo on the right was taken on the day of their wedding. Ken shipped out to Italy to fight in WWII just days later. Sixty-eight years! Isn’t that amazing?! Oh, how I loved them! To make a long story short and to not rehash sad memories, Iris passed away about a year after we met them; Ken passed one year later. When Iris passed, her son asked me if I wanted any of her handmade treasures; I jumped at the chance! I truly loved the woman and having a handmade something of hers (something she had shown me with pride) was an amazing gift.

This is what her son selected for me. It’s a meticulously crafted (small) tablecloth. It screams “Iris”!

Check out these details! It honestly looks like a machine made this.

Just thought that I’d share one of my most beloved treasures with you. I still miss this little lady every day!