These are the boxes I worked on for the living room. I had an entirely different idea in mind when I sat down, and then after I looked at what I had to work with, scratched it entirely. There are a lot of images of animals in our house. From the bug boxes in the craft room to the bird quilt and paintings in the bedroom to these new boxes (and all the other art in the living room). Birds, squirrels, horses, bears, oh my! So, I was trying to avoid the use of animals in these. As you can see, it didn’t work out. At all. We love animals!
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading May 6th, 2008
Cathy Nichols; Ubiki
Corid; Aja Vu
Dolan Geiman; Janice J’s Illustrations
Margin; Scott Garrette
I just love all of these artists on Etsy. I sometimes get frustrated at how difficult it is to search through all the hundreds and thousands of items for sale on Etsy, but the gems are great; it’s worth it. I bought a print from Margin and from Janice J. I really wanted a few of the others, but the color schemes wouldn’t have worked out. I’ve been in the studio working on a few boxes of my own, in the spirit of Joseph Cornell. I’ve been saving a few found objects to use for some time, so they are now being put to good use. I should have some pics to post this week.
We had a fair bit of sun this weekend, for which I was very pleased. I spent an afternoon on my beach blanket–which spent a sad and lonely winter in the closet–reading Sunset and Martha Stewart magazines. It was glorious. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a repeat this weekend!
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 30th, 2008
Aren’t these gorgeous? My dear friend gave these to me as part of my winter gift. She sells her beautiful creations on Etsy.
This is a sneak peak of the living room update. That’s the new couch in gray and I’m using punches of pink and swaths of purple. Poor Ryan, but it’s not as girly as it sounds. It’s mostly gray and wood with a few hints of color. I’m nearly done. I just need to update the art on the walls and get around to making throw pillows and a blanket. Have you ever tried shopping for purple fabric? There isn’t much to be found and most of it is lilac. I wound up ordering some yardage on reprodepot.com, but it was difficult there too. Who knows whether the fabric I ordered is actually purple (it could be blue or pink or gray–have you seen the color variance on different monitors?). I really wish that they took the time to write out what color it should be. We all had crayolas; there is a standard out there. We’ll see how it shapes up–probably just perfect.
Work has calmed down again, thank goodness. I’m trying to be more positive and let things slide easier. I have a tendency to meditate on problems like it’s going to help. Just so you know, it doesn’t; it just makes you crazy. Life lesson for the day! I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 25th, 2008
These are treasures both gifted and found from our trip to the East Coast. My dear friend, Aja made the woolen globes (and she sells them here). I just love the way they look–like spun cotton candy. They sit in a silver platter on our dining room table with those bird salt shakers found at an antique mall in Connecticut.
It’s been a long haul over here in Seattle. The weather has been miserable–cold and sleet and even some snow. Added, work has been long and dramatic and altogether too much for me, consuming even. But I’ve been trying to find ways to outlet and luckily crafting is a positive one for me. I’ve been working on the living room redecorating and have made lots of progress. It’s nearly done! I’ll share pictures soon.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 22nd, 2008
Apparently, it’s all things birds over here. I’m really not that much of a bird person, or maybe I just need to own it. This is last in the series (seriously, I won’t bore you with anymore) of birdhouses. Cherry Tomato has made the most lovely bird nest. You must go and see it. I just love the abstract, unfinished nature it has–that all bird nests have. They’re so delicate, so beautiful, and so random. I hope you’re all having great weeks.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 17th, 2008
One more in the set that will hang on my wall, once I get to it. I’m still on the living room revamp. I’ve got the couch, dining set, and a new coffee table. I’m waiting on the rug (12 weeks, coming from Europe) that is supposed to be here on Tuesday. Once I have that, I’ll go textile crazy. I’ve got a few ideas in mind. I reall like the feel of these purple rooms: here and here and here. And, I like these pillows. Does anyone else have some inspiration for purple?
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 11th, 2008
This one is a little smaller than the first one and has more of an A-line shape. I added buttons or medallions to the point of each roof. I like the idea of including found objects in these–exactly what a bird would do!
I’ve missed blogland. I finally had a chance to go through every link on my bloglist and see what everyone has been up to. This used to be a biweekly occurrence for me, and I haven’t done it in months. I get so much inspiration from all of you. It’s no wonder I haven’t been sewing!
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 10th, 2008
I got a little crazy with the bird houses, so I’ll be showing you one a day for four days. This one is called Cherry Lane. They were so fun to make and I had just the right supplies, I couldn’t resist. Three are for me and one is for a sweet little girl who loves birdies and has a collection of stuffed birds. I didn’t attempt to make the stuffed birds for these houses, but I still might. I used Timtex scraps and a few pieces of Japanese and thrifted fabric I’d been holding onto. I’m considering posting the pattern I made for it, but am undecided.
I had a lovely weekend spent with my favorite people and just the right mix of crafting time. I woke up early every day and still feel rejuvenated by my weekend on Wednesday, although the fact that work has calmed down plays a large part of that, I’m sure. More houses to follow!
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 9th, 2008
I think spring has sprung, although it’s still sleeting slush at times and so cold at night I wonder if all the buds on the trees and flower beds will throw in the towel. The stand of trees that blocks my view has started to fill in. I like the coziness of it; it makes the living room feel secluded and tucked in. I don’t know what kind of trees they are, but the buds start out red and after a couple of months change to green; it’s like autumn, but better–everything is beginning, not ending.
I just love these spring-like birdhouses. I can’t get over them. Aren’t they just adorable? They’re made by Tamar Mogendorff. I’m going to do another art montage in the craft room. I’ve got too many pieces I want to hang and no where to place them. I think making a couple of these to add to the wall would really be spectacular. I’m imagining they are a fair amount of work, though. I’m going to give it a try! This may be just the thing I’ve been looking for to get my rear in the craft chair–for more than just hemming pants.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading April 2nd, 2008
Aren’t these heart kitchen utensils so cute? They were part of my annual spring present from my dear friend Aja, who generally starts a present before Christmas and continues adding to it until I come to visit her in March. It winds up working out really well for me. There were many things in the package, including some handmade goodies by her, but that’s for another time. Her sweet other half is an industrial designer and actually designed all of these, for everything made with love. I used them just last night when making this Smoky Corn Chowder recipe. Everything was heart-shaped!
This is a snapshot I took while sitting and eating the most delicious chocolate chip cookie in the world at City Bakery in NYC last week. I just love how they decorated the place, and mostly how they arrange the baked goods.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading March 29th, 2008
Okay, okay, I know. It’s been a while, and a while before that. But, I’m back! And refreshed! We had a lovely time in pastoral Connecticut and then in NYC. It was a tad surreal to be in two places we had once lived, all within the span of a week. But, what a lovely trip. I can’t remember a trip going more smoothly. We had fabulous hosts in Connecticut who fed us delicious meals and we even had a spontaneous dance party. That was followed by a few days in New York, where we ate more delicious food, went to the MoMA, did some shopping, and stayed at The W. The weather was chilly, but sunny, and seriously it was perfect. I snapped some shots of my favorites at the MoMA. They had three very interesting exhibits, one on modern art since the 70s; one on color studies; and one that was basically a grown-up science contest–strange futuristic projects from MIT and the like. There were leather jackets growing in vats and smelling costumes for dating in the future (let your genes pick your mate!).
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading March 26th, 2008
I started on this little embroidery project a few weeks ago. It’s nice to have something to work on while sitting on the couch–and it’s a lot less messy than a sewing project. I copied the little figures from a Japanese craft magazine I found on Flickr.
Ryan and I are headed off to New York this morning–it’s early and my stomach’s upset from not enough sleep. It’s part business, part pleasure for me. The best of it is, I get to see my dear friend Aja! I’m hoping to have a chance to post while I’m there, and not let this blog sit empty for so long.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading March 15th, 2008
So, we’re on our way to the living room redo. Fortunately for me, our dining room is also in the living room, so for now it’s a two-fer. I got the table from Skarbos, which frankly was not the best retail experience. It’s sort of like Barney’s meets Nameless Used Car Dealership. But the table is beautiful and is a wunderkind. It folds out, with leaves enclosed, from 53″ to 93″ and can seat 12 to 14 people. It probably won’t get used often, but it’s nice to have nonetheless. The chairs are my favorite and remind me of origami. They came in a box and took some assembly (thanks sweet hubby and bro!), but I do love them. They’re from 2Modern a truly great site for affordable (mostly), gorgeous furniture.
Speaking of 2Modern, I just adore this rug. I was this close to buying it, but I think it would be a bit much with the large painting–birds, deer, squirrels–it might turn into a living room zoo if I’m not careful. I’ve got owls in the bedroom and insects in the craft room. I have got to tone it down! But seriously, isn’t it great? You should check out the other rugs in the collection. They’re not horribly priced for rugs and oh, my!
And last, but not least, have you seen these fabulous wall decals? There are so many to choose from!
And what else can I say, work is overwhelming. Ryan and I are headed to Hood River, Ore. for a family getaway. We’re both really looking forward to a long weekend with good food, good company, and relaxation.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading March 6th, 2008
Inspired by a meme I have yet to complete, I started looking around my blog in search of favorite posts. I started bookmarking them, and after looking through my list I realized they were mostly quilts. So I decided to gather them all in one fluffy post. I really do enjoy this medium. There’s something about piecing something together, building it layer by layer–seeing it through the tedious details, the color choices, the pattern choices. Aside from cutting things out, I really do enjoy the whole process. It’s so interesting how each one turns out different from the last, even if it’s the same pattern.
We’ve had quite the lovely weather here in Seattle, and it’s been hanging on for weeks. I have a ton of errands to get done this weekend, treats for work to make tonight, and I’ve been wanting to visit “The Gates of Paradise: Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Renaissance Masterpiece,” at the Seattle Art Museum but we’ll see how things play out.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading February 28th, 2008
I’ve been eying my heating pad cover for sometime with disgust. Those felty things aren’t the prettiest in the world. I wanted to make my own cover, so it could be cute and useful. This is what I came up with. I spent a lot of time on the details–French seams and hemming tape at the top to reinforce it. I’ve never made an appliqué flower before, but it was simple enough to do. I used some of the gorgeous blue cloud and bat fabric I got just a smidge of, because it was ridiculously expensive.
I made this last weekend, when I had President’s Day off. Little did I know that I’d have to use it all week long! I spent a long day helping paint a friend’s house and apparently twisted something in my back, making it difficult to move and so that I had to cart my heating pad into work each day. I’m a little, old lady in disguise, apparently.
We’ve had glorious weather here. It’s been downright balmy and sunny and just spectacular. Work was another long week, but one without travel. This winter seems to be passing quickly, thankfully. I am already aching for warm weather and beach time. I heard the groundhog didn’t see his shadow, but that means nothing, right? Because the crocuses are popping up here and I’m ready to put the sweaters away.
Posted by Dacia Ray
Continue Reading February 23rd, 2008
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