Friday, November 30, 2007

NaBlowSleepyMo

Today's the last day of NaBloPoMo! I made it! I posted something on this blog every day for the past 30 days and now I'm POOPED! I hope my tongue isn't too dry when I wake up... thanks for reading!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Ann Coulter greeted by Subversive

Okay, I so did not do this, but I have to commend the person who did on their taste in cards! Seems that some truly subversive and possibly off-balance soul hand-delivered a card to Ms. Coulter's mailbox in Florida and, according to police reports obtained by The Smoking Gun, the card they chose to express themselves with was our very own "Go Fuck Yourself" card from the set by Chronicle!

I don't really see what the fuss is all about, since this very phrase has been bandied about on numerous occasions by our very own Vice President Cheney (even at work, which most of us would get in trouble for), and it would seem that someone as allegedly vitriolic at Ms. Coulter should be able to take just a fraction of the stuff she dishes out.

Now, I certainly don't advocate stalking - in fact, I think the best thing to do with people like this is to ignore them. But if you just can't do that, I happen to know where you can get a card that might help express your frustration and discontent. You'll have to find Ms. Coulter's mailing address on your own, though, and might I suggest the US Mail instead of hand delivery?

Remember: just because we are blessed with the freedom of speech doesn't mean you have to shout.

Read the full story here: New York magazine.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

You just won't believe it

Hot on the heels of my little siamese photo collection, this Flickrer scanned and uploaded an incredible set from the seventies -- complete with Playboy bunnies! Don't miss it!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

My Meezers

I have a vast collection of vintage photos of siamese cats (yes, I'm running out of things to blog about, can you tell?) Anyway, I'm gonna start scanning them and putting them on Flickr... maybe someday I can do a book or something - who knows?

Monday, November 26, 2007

Genius!

Etsy seller bee listy stitches and sells amazing portraits, like this David Sedaris one. Let me tell you, if you don't already know, that is some SERIOUS work! And very well done. And also very reasonably priced. There's also Elvis Costello, Toni Morrison, and she does custom work! What an amazing holiday gift idea... hmm...

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Beware this clever bird!

There are days where I manage to make it to the end without buying a bunch of stuff on the web. And just when I'm feeling the slightest bit smug about my triumphant self-control, I get this super-incredible daily newsletter from Rare Bird Finds.

Somedays, and I've told them this, when I'm feeling particularly like I've passed as a somewhat sane, responsible adult, I actually curse outloud when their enews hits my Inbox. Because in ~~almost~~ every issue, there is something that I HAVE to buy. I don't know how they do it, and I don't know why they torture me so, but they absolutely have their finger on the pulse of just-what-it-is-that-I-want.

Examples? Hella-groovy CD packaging kits from Chronicle, the fabulous Still Life Fruit Bowl, and the mixed drinks cube jigger (coming soon to a holiday tree near my crazy cocktail-shakin' husband).

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Behind closed doors

Someone pointed out these very cute and clever door hangers to me -- reading the Bible, indeed!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Chain scarf

How groovy is this chain scarf at knitty.com? Very, very groovy. I must remind myself how to knit...

Thursday, November 22, 2007

and a Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!

I've blogged for 22 days in a row! I can hardly believe it! To celebrate, I present: The Bearded Cap!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A very touching email

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

more beloved Etsy purchases

Here we go: ABOVE - left to right: Kinky Crochet's crocheted boobie pillow (also makes a great unexpected gift - lifesize!), flamestitch's Tufted pillow purse (extremely well-made, I love this purse so much), trixiedelicious' Amy Winehouse hairdo plate (can't wait to finish remodeling and give this a prominent place), Lululalaland's wonderful selection of jewelry findings, rarrarpress' Crafty Mother Fucker card (someone sent me this and I had to have more!).

The Etsy, she is very very good to me!

Monday, November 19, 2007

My 15 Kottke minutes

Wow, Kottke blogged about Subversive -- THE Jason Kottke! From November 15:

I can't see how on earth Julie Jackson's Subversive Cross Stitch didn't make it into the Museum of Arts & Design show on Extreme Embroidery. Maybe it's too straightforward but still...

It's funny, I never expected to be in this show, but I must say that I got a ton of inquiries as to whether or not I was in their previous show, Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting (probably just because of the use of the word "subversive"). One person even sent me a photo of the promotional posters when the show opened in NYC.

Anyway, the folks at the Museum of Arts & Design are super nice and invited me to sell my kits in their gift shop. They also have four of my finished, framed designs for sale, which I'm thrilled about! I've never positioned myself as an artist, for me it's more about encouraging others to create their own versions of the Subversive idea and having fun. Whether it's craft or art is really in the eye of the beholder, and just the idea that Jason Kottke considers it art is more flattering than anything. A banner day!

Be sure to check out the show, though, some of my favorite artists are in it and it's chock full of inspiration!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Spooning Birds

I'm really not usually into the cutesy-for-cute's-sake, Martha-Stewarty, you-might-see-these-in-some-conservative's-kitchen types of things, but DANG if I can't get these hella-cute little bird spoons out of my head! I just know I'm going to end up owning a set, even though they seem ridiculously expensive. I bookmarked them a long time ago and I keep coming back and staring at them endlessly. Why can't they be cheep-cheeper?

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Not Mincing Words

Every now and then something comes along that just blows my wig off. This summer that something was these hilarious magnets from Mincing Mockingbird on etsy. They're all hysterical, and equally hysterical is his descriptive commentary.

For example, the title of the above magnet is "MATURE - Bird Cares About You, Loves You, But You Have To Change Your Whorish Ways, rectangle magnet"

For the peacock magnet with the phrase "I Dye My Feathers", MM titles it "Peacock Uncomfortable With The Sad Dance Toward Death Known As Aging, rectangle magnet."

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! Bravo!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Fa-la-la-la-la la-la Felt Club!

Check out the super fun this SUNDAY -- you might even win a Subversive door prize!

Bye Basi-kiki

We had to put our 20-plus-year-old kitty, Basil*, down yesterday. It was really time for him to go, though, and he had a long life of lovin'. Anyway, monkey made a little haiku page for him. Sweet!

* he was named after Basil, the John Cleese character in Fawlty Towers.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

More from Mark Lipinski

Oh WOW! The guy from the article below is coming out (hee) with a line of fabrics, and check this out! It's like mehndi, or henna patterns, and you can embellish - stitch - bead - whatevs! That's totally rockin' my world!

Quilting Gets Hip - and Kooky!

In Houston a couple of weeks ago, Mark Lipinski was mobbed by cheering, screaming, laughing women. Some wanted to hug him. Some wanted his autograph. And some wanted to learn where they could get one of those beefcake ironing board covers, the ones with a photo of a hunky guy wearing only a towel, a towel that vanishes when -- well, here's how Lipinski described it in his magazine, which is called Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home:

"When you iron over said man, and get him hot (so to speak), his towel totally disappears and -- oh, baby, oh-oh-oh! -- he's naked! Your husband's going to wonder what wonderful thing he's done that's keeping you so happy in the laundry room (hee hee hee)!"

Read more about his magazine here -- it really sounds like fun!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Five Beloved Etsy Purchases

First in a series!! ABOVE - left to right: ColleenBaran jewelry's bubble ring (her jewelry is so well-made and really gorgeous), obviousfront's Dangling Capacitor Figure (lots of clever stuff here), bluesnailpapers' Snowy Night Card (even more beautiful in person), apak's delicious greeting cards (fab), OpulentOddities' Great Knockers necklace (and other great jewelry made from weird found stuff).

More to come tomorrow. I'm a total etsy addict.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Knitted Stamps!

Holiday stamps at USPS.com -- knits! The craft scene has arrived!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Help!

I can't remember where I bought this shirt -- do you recognize it? There's also a lobster one... my husband loves them and I forgot where they came from. Hmm. Email me if you know, please! Thanks!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Local Senior Center Craft Fair Booty

I LOVE the local holiday bazaar at the Senior Center. They have no idea of what a craft goldmine they're sitting on, and I wish someone would do a book about this kind of stuff. I always make a beeline for the booth at the back, where they have these little cross stitch sayings for only $1.75 each. I was shocked and thrilled last year to see politically subversive sayings in our little suburban enclave - how brave! This year I met their creator and even introduced myself (later I took her a copy of my book, because I think we were separated at birth). Her name is Shirlee, and I can't wait to see what she does next year! Go Shirlee!!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

I forgot to mention...

In the current issue of the fabulous, can't-live-without-it Craft magazine (on stands now), Yours Truly interviews Laura Splan, creator of the Blood Scarf among lots of other things. You can see her work in the show I mentioned yesterday. Shazam!

Friday, November 09, 2007

Subversive stuff almost kinda in a museum!

The Museum of Art & Design in NYC is launching an exhibition today called Pricked: Extreme Embroidery:

Samplers, table cloths, tea towels, and party dresses often spring to mind when the word "embroidery" is invoked, but the forty-eight international artists highlighted in Pricked: Extreme Embroidery tell a very different story. Pricked is the Museum of Arts & Design's latest exploration into how centuries-old handcraft traditions are rejuvenated in the mainstream of contemporary art and design. The works are individually arresting, provocative, satirical, and humorous.

Pricked: Extreme Embroidery follows the success and international acclaim of the Museum's exhibition Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting, which premiered earlier this year at MAD and is now on an extensive tour to other art museums. Like Radical Lace, this new exhibition is poised to change the way the public views the contemporary evolution of an ancient art.

The opening reception is tonight from 6-8pm, and the exhibit will be up until March 9.

BONUS: They'll be selling Subversive Cross Stitch kits AND finished, framed pieces in the gift shop!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Maybe the funniest feedback ever

Let's just say I won't be applying for my professional cross-stitcher's license any time soon. I was forced to take a few creative liberties with the placement of the text, due to a shocking inability to count squares off a grid (who knew?), and once you're off it's way too late to make it right. Plus what a pain in the ass. Fucking thread. Still, throw in the aggravated carpal tunnel, already severe myopia, and the forced hunchback seating position relative to the nearest light source, and it's maybe a hobby I would explore further if I was ever to spend a lot of time in prison.

Plus I think my mother's really going to love it.

--from the litwit blog.

Cleaning out my desk...

One day this phrase just popped into my mind -- so I had some pins made. Want one? Email me with your address and I'll pop one in the mail. Supplies are limited! Look for more weird giveaways as I clean out my desk in preparation for another office upgrade...!

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

One of our very favorite craft compadres is featured in the current issue of Creative Home magazine (Winter 2007) -- it's Katherine Shaughnessey of Wool & Hoop (shown here with little Fiona Mae and a baby on the way). We've blogged about Katherine before here and here. Pick up an issue for a FIVE-page spread full of photos from her picturesque life. She makes it look so easy, it almost makes me crazy but then I know how great and fun she is in person and it just makes me happy to see!! That little girl is awfully cute, too, and I'm not usually a fan of the kiddos. Congratulations, Katherine!!

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Unveiling...

I hired S. Britt to do the Kitty Wigs logo -- how sweet is this??

Monday, November 05, 2007

Genius

from Flickr user mooosh -- I love this idea so much - it's so well done! Bravo! (submitted to the Subversive Flickr group).

Sunday, November 04, 2007

My Unnatural Love for Etsy

eBay used to be my late-night friend, but then I met etsy. My resistance is low at 2am and earrings like these don't come along twice in a lifetime... (from Chic People). I could blog every day this month about something I bought on etsy. The Etsy Confessional, Part One. So many episodes, it'll make you dizzy.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Go Blo Po Mo and stuff

Hey, did I mention that I've tossed in a book, magnet set and $50 gift certificate as a prize for NaBlo blogging peeps? Yep. True. (and that counts as a post, right? Whee!)

Friday, November 02, 2007

What Have I Done?

I signed up for NaBloPoMo. That means I have to write something here every single day in November. Don't panic. Let's go!! (does this count for today's entry?)

Thursday, November 01, 2007

I'm in LOVE!

HOW on earth have I not seen the insanely fabulous work of Maggy Rozycki Hiltner before? You are in SO much trouble for not alerting me to her genius! I'm hoping to add one to my collection of goodies in time for the holidays... check them out, they make me so happy!