Macaroons vs macarons. Do you pronounce them the say way?

Anyhoo, I was sketching out ideas for my crochet paintings for the Sweet Tooth show this Friday in L.A. (come say hi! I’ll be there!), and I kept changing my mind. At first I was going to do a series of cakes, and thennnnn wanted to do a collage of bulk candies, and thennnnnnnnn I saw THIS blog entry and knew I had to try making macaronimals with coffee/tea.

First up: my horrible sketch! I wanted the colors on all 4 canvases to look nice together, so sketching it first really helped me to make sure that everything looked relatively harmonious and that I wasn’t over-using one particular color throughout.

I didn’t really know for sure how I wanted to execute the little cookie sandwiches and the sense of perspective I was going for. As it turned out, actually making little sandwiches was looking the best, which made everything really puffy and thick, so I ended up putting two cookies each on the canvases instead of three.

Kuragoma (black sesame) Koala, Strawberry Bunny, Cinnamon Kitten, and Pavlova Panda! Each one is 10 in x 8 in.

I think my favorite are the kittens, since they looked the most realistically biscuity. I made the choice to NOT put a little stuffing in the koalas, which I made first, and I sort of regret this choice, as I think the puffiness would have enhanced the macaron-ness. I intend to make more of these after the show and will definitely add a little puff to the top cookie. Also, of course, HAIR CLIPS.

People have been asking if these could turn into laptop covers or purses. If I ever did that, I would really have to change how I constructed everything, because the 3D nature would make the piece bulky and a little too delicate. We’ll see! 🙂

I’m really happy with how these turned out, even tho each piece took WAY longer than you’d think or I ever expected/planned for. Luckily, I pulled it out!

While making these, I was particularly struck by how people would perceive my work as trinkets or novelties for little girls and babies. I have had a hard time with this for a long time, since I design everything as if I would wear it/use it/love it myself, and I think that shoving my work in the “for little girls only” category is really limiting. I will just keep doing what I do, though, and hopefully all the big girls who still have a nostalgic fondness for the fun, color, and playfulness of their girl magic will also get what I’m about.

And now… close-ups!

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Dear Blog,

We can die happy now.

Love, Me.

I still have a few more episodes to complete before the big finish, but I have 4 crochet paintings to finish in 24 hours. I’ll see you on the other side!

Guess who is on the cover of Mollie Makes magazine Issue 18?

A Twinkie Chan imposter!

Just kidding! It’s me! Well, it’s my scarf! :). Some people have already expressed concern that this was not my scarf, but don’t worry, it’s legit!

Mollie Makes asked me to create a toast with strawberry jam scarf for the cover, and the full pattern is inside. I think this is a neat addition to the buttered toast scarf because you can switch up all the flavors of the jam blob and even make it peanut butter or Nutella or whatever! I was so honored to be asked to create a project for the cover. A lot of my  most favoritest crafty ladies are not only fans of the magazine but have also have appeared in it and/or written for it. If you have never heard of it, it is out of the UK, and you should check it out!

The issue comes out August 31. Get one!

I also took some fun little photos of my work in my back yard for the inside of the magazine. I’ll see which ones are included in the mag and then show you guys some outtakes!

Here’s a little bit about Mollie Makes:

Mollie Makes is published thirteen times a year. We curate the best craft from around the world into a tactile, collectable and totally irresistible magazine.

We love to make – handmade is more than just a hobby for us, it’s in everything we do.

We can’t resist hunting down treasures in thrift stores, then customising, re-covering and embellishing our finds with our endless stash of ribbons, buttons, fabrics and felt.

We’re forever on the lookout for new inspiration. Whatever we do, we’re living and loving handmade.
♡ Making ♡ Thrifting ♡ Collecting ♡ Crafting

Readers can subscribe to Mollie Makes through this link:
http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/stitch-craft/mollie-makes-magazine-subscription/
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Don’t miss out on the latest news from Mollie Makes. Sign up to our newsletter at the top of the page, here:
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Even though I have been DVR’ing Craft Wars on my television, I have also been buying episodes off Amazon.com, so I can play them on my computer and get screenshots that way. It’s much easier for me than taking photos of my television! Each episode costs $1.99, so you can see how much I care about you guys. Two dolla!

On with Episode 6!

Meet your craftestants.

NoFoofin’: She doesn’t over-foof, and she likes to keep it clean.

RiskyBusiness: He likes to take chances.

PrettyFurniture: She blogs about home design, and there are lots of photos of pretty furniture in her intro.

Pop Craft Challenge: Make a lamp out of eye wear and magnifying lenses.

I was really smellin’ what PrettyFurniture was cookin’. She started painting lenses with varied mixtures of ModPodge and Rit Dye so the lenses would dry clear but colorful.

JUDGING BEGINS.

RiskyBusiness was up first. He created a drum-shaped hanging lamp with a flattened-lens mosaic.

The judges all seemed to feel that RiskyBusiness had great ideas but was lacking in the execution department.

PrettyFurniture was going for an industrial feel, with the highlight being her amazing sea glass made of lenses. Ombre!

All the judges were wow-ed by her sea glass concept, but she clearly had not put on as many as she had planned, plus, Stephen felt that the black ball base could have been ombre-fied as well. My thought was that since ombre has been so trendy, that this would have made her a shoe-in to win.

NoFoofin’ wanted to represent the nature-y feel of her hometown and grass and flowers.

Her lamp looked finished and it seemed like she had executed everything she had planned.

I am a bit surprised nobody said anything about it’s slight Tiki vibes….

In the end, PrettyFurniture had to pack up her glue gun. Frankly, I was a bit surprised. I know she hadn’t really finished her lamp, but I thought her technique was really cool, and I would’ve loved to have seen more!

Master Craft Challenge: we’re giving you a mattress and a wall. Make a bedroom in 5 hours!

Oh yeah, and also use these zippers. K thanks.

NoFoofin’s planned theme for her bedroom was “Smoke and Mirrors.”

I can’t recall if RiskyBusiness announced a certain theme, but he wanted a 4-poster bed and a zipper rug.

Hey check this out: are the judges going to give NoFoofin’ grief for making a pillow with hot glue? Cuz, like, you would probably not want a pillow made with hot glue in your bedroom?

Answer: nobody said anything… although I did notice RiskyBusiness using fabric glue instead (FabriTac?) on his rug. Point: RiskyBusiness!

Okay check this other thing out: you gotta love NoFoofin’ patterning clay tiles with the bottom of her freaking SHOE!

Here’s RiskyBusiness tufting a head board with nuts and bolts and washers.

NoFoofin’, are you gettin’ foofy with those turkey-feather flower embellishments?

JUDGING BEGINS

RiskyBusiness is up first. He explained that he borrowed design elements from different cultures, and that his repetition of the green vertical stripes brought it all together.

I think that is the most amazing comment I’ve ever heard.

Jo was not so excited about RiskyBusiness’ foray into the stencil arts.

But Erica was delighted by the tufted headboard and said, “Your headboard makes me happy.”

Here’s NoFoofin’s bedroom, Smoke and Mirrors.

He went on to explain that she should have stuck more with all gray colors and mysticalness and glitters. The biggest offender was the bamboo.

NoFoofin’ responded, “I liked the natural element.”

But despite NoFoofin’s lack of glittered-bamboo, all her clever crafty elements won over the judges.

Meet your craftestants!

Peaches: Ok, I know those are probably oranges on her apron, but “Oranges” is kind of a terrible nick name. Her outfit is so sunshiney and cute!

Mr. Vivs: This guy is from San Francisco and crafty, so clearly, I made him Vivianna‘s husband.

Lady80s: She mentions she has been crafting since the 80s. Me, too!

Since this episode is the Christmas Craft special, we were gifted with some costumed carolers.

Let it be known, internet, that those genius lyrics were mine, not theirs.

Pop Craft: make a wreath out of winter-wear in 1 hr.

Let it be known, internet, that those were HER exact words. She has a mouth, and I love her.

I wish I understood what Mr. Vivs’ design strategy was. He mentioned he was gonna make cones and put them on an embroidery hoop, but I couldn’t quite put it together in my head.

Btw, that is Tori crossing her fingers AND toes for Mr. Vivs. The judges were simply shocked by his change in plans with less than 30 minutes to go. BALLSY.

And…. I don’t want to talk about how Team Vivs wasn’t sure if “HOLIDAY” had 2 L’s or not. I get it. You’re stressed out. Your brains are all over the place. I’ll say no more.

Let’s turn everybody’s frowns upside down and talk about Peaches’ hot pink finger condoms to protect against hot glue. NEED THESE! STAT!

JUDGING BEGINS.

Peaches’ wreath was up first, with rolled fabric roses, yarn pom poms, and a lil bling. (I don’t know why my screenshots are so bad….! Some of you are saying that you don’t need to watch the episodes because you enjoy my re-caps, but they seriously don’t do the craft projects any justice, visually!)

Mr. Viv’s wreath was next. He ended up wrapping his wreath in fabric and gluing some stuff all over it.

Stephen: Crafting is knowing when to take a risk and change your plan.

Up next: Lady80s’ wreath: rosettes made of layered sweater, tulle, and newspaper, with sweater rosettes.

Erica said, “Your roses look like a ball of socks.”

But in the end, it was Mr.Vivs who packed up his glue gun. See you at Zeitgeist, dude.

Master Craft Challenge: Make a Christmas tree out of shipping supplies and wrapping paper.

Tori intro’d the segment with, “Everybody likes to get packages.”

The judges seemed to think this was hilarious.

Was that guy the boom mic operator? Was he somebody’s husband? Was his line a funny improv? So mysterious!

So, Peaches’ plan was to make a 4-sided tree out of shipping styrofoam, with 50s/60s colorful ornaments made of Christmas cards and more styro, with wrapping/tissue paper roses as the highlight.

Lady80s ALSO planned to make 4-sided tree, but made of wood, covered in chalkboard paint, with a skirt made of Christmas cards sewn together.

Here’s Peaches painting styro ornaments with a “pouncer (?)” to paint dots. LOVE THAT TOOL. Never heard of it before. Pounce pounce pounce.

HOWEVER, there is also BAD NEWS in the paint department.

Jo’s hot tip! Use Design Master paint for styrofoam.

OMG AWKWARD MOMENTS. The two trees are like totes samesies! (I began to wonder if this 4-sided tree was in Martha Stewart or O Mag or something.)

Lady80s’ team broke a lightbulb on their magnificent light bulb tree topper. Is no one concered about mercury poisoning? IS THIS OKAY? Is there mercury in there?! Poison gas?

JUDGING BEGINS.

Lady80s is up first.

Next, Peaches.

Peaches took a lot of heat because her colors seemed more Easter-y than Christmas-y, but I thought that the hot new thing in Yuletide has been to change up the traditional Christmas colors? No? Pastel Christmas? Anybody? AMIRITE?

Stephen chimed in with some conflicted color commentary, loving and chastising Peaches’ colors at the same time.

In the end, it was Lady80’s tree-topper that lit the way to her victory. In her own words,

She cracks me up. I wonder if she drops the F-bomb at home.

***

I don’t ever really intend to agree or disagree with who the judges decide to pick as the winner, but I just wanted to note that it seemed to me that Peaches had made the effort to use more of the challenge materials, and I wish that had been underlined more heavily.  Just sayin’.