drew-o-rama

weekly inspiration

Check out all the cool things that inspired me this week:

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- Can you even believe these photos? It's an amazing vintage clothing shop on Etsy called FabGabs. ALL the photos are like this and ALL the clothing is amazing. Check it out, if only for the great photo styling.

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- This beauty showed up a while ago on my local Craig's List... do you think I should go for it? It's a tad bit pricey, but looks like it's in good condition. And I have been looking for something similar for a while. It's not exactly what I want, but it is nice.

- I am really excited to get started knitting these amazing and super cute baby socks shaped like duck feet for a good friend who is 7 months pregnant. The pattern is a bit complex, but I am up for the challenge.

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- I've posted about this before, but one of my favorite cartoon shorts from Sesame Street was the number 12 pinball sequence. You all know it and love it. Watch the extended version on YouTube.

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- I made a Smurf tote bag for a friend's baby shower this weekend. I love how it turned out and now totally inspired to start cranking out a few of these for the shop.

- I also hemmed my first pair of trousers... A pair of linen jeans from H&M. The original hem was a basic roll and stitch, so I figured I wouldn't have any problems doing it myself. It was easy and sewing linen was like sewing butter.

I have a FULL weekend ahead of movie watching, teaching, vintage clothes shopping, thrifting, searching for Smarties and Tim Tams, eating at delicious restaurants, more thrifting, a baby shower and watching a screening of Handmade Nation.

What inspired YOU this week?

xoxox
-drew

dessin au carreau

"My First/Second Book of Drawing with the Square" found via Agence Eureka. Check out other great vintage French paper ephemera on her blog. oo la la.

Speaking of Europe... this weekend I will be heading to Jungle Jim's, a giant locally owned international super market just to find some Smarties... the GOOD chocolate kind, not that sugary American kind. And a certain Miss Pilgrim told me to try Tim Tams, so I will be looking for those as well.

What are your favorite international/imported candies and treats?

xoxox
-drew

artist crush: jacob whibley

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I have an artist crush on Mr. Whibley. Aren't these Kandinsky/Bauhaus inspired collages cool? And I love that he uses vintage ephemera.

For more, visit Jacob Whibley website. Check out the Not Paper interview.

xoxox
-drew

home ec

Check out the online class, HOME EC, taught by the amazing Rachel, Leigh-Ann and Courtney. This is a take it at your own pace class beginning August 10th that includes three guides, 26 step-by-step Projects with at least one new sewing technique in each, and a tips post on how to invent and adapt projects of your own! Take a look at all the projects!

I was lucky enough to be part of Elsie and Leigh-Ann's style school in the spring, and I know they always put on fun and informative online classes.

Along with daily sewing projects in the private class blog, you can participate in live chats to get friendly with your classmates and enjoy Q&A time with your teachers. Click here for full details and registration information or e-mail LA with questions at FreckledNest [at!] gmail (com).

Have fun!
-drew

shawl collar

kinda lame photos... safety pins are holding down the collar | click to enlarge

I've been having fun knitting up the "Big Shawl Collar Pullover" by Josh Bennett, aka, Boy Meets Purl. I'm starting to like this patterns more and more since they are actually stylish since most patterns for men are not.

more of josh's patterns from vogue knitting | click to enlarge

This sweater is for a friend who's smaller than me; it's been kinda tight when I've tried it on. So, getting an accurate idea of the fit made me a bit nervous. However, I tried it on my friend a few weeks ago and it's going to fit him really well.

I am finished with all the knitting and just need to sew everything up. I'm anxious to get this finished. But having a big pile of wool on my lap during 90 degree heat isn't all that enticing. It's not like he's going to be wearing it in the summer heat, however, so I think a short delay is fine!

What are all of you knitting/making?

xoxoxo
-drew

weekend roundup

mmm, savory pastries | colorful awnings and window boxes | click to enlarge

Lazy Friday evening staying cool while shopping at the mall. Wishing I could buy all the clothes I see. Early Saturday morning at the farmer's market. Taking photos of all sorts of inspiring and colorful things.

colorful umbrella | i'll take a billion of each, please | click to enlarge

Looking for yarn to knit a baby gift. An unexpected trip to a thrift store. Taking a trip down memory lane after finding a social studies textbook that I had in primary school. Checking out a mod new bike shop wishing to be suddenly transported to Colorado so I could mountain bike.

loads of memories | love the wood floor | click to enlarge

Drinking wine and checking out a great view. Watching bad movies. Staying cool sitting in central air conditioning. Knitting. Drawing funny shapes on a chalkboard.

it's hot out there | fun with chalk | click to enlarge

Eating homemade cheeseburgers for brunch. A hot and humid Sunday afternoon spent thrifting. Taking photos of myself drinking an iced latte a la Elsie. Stopping at a bookstore to stay cool and finding a great crafting book.

thrifting overload | super large iced latte, please | click to enlarge

What did YOU do this weekend?

xoxoxo
-drew

weekly inspiration

Oh my, check out all the great things that inspired me this week:

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- These giant Hawaiian quilt floor pillows from the amazing Purl Soho (wouldn't you love to have a free shopping spree in there?!). The idea of having anything sitting on the floor grosses me out, but talk about some great throw pillows.

- BTdubs... Purl Soho just launched a new website so check it out for all things crafty.

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- The amazing softies from Etsy seller Little Birds. Check out more on her Flickr page.

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- This remade Elton John video makes me happy. I don't care much for the song, but the graphics, oh my. Check out other Kate Dawkins Studio work... they're trippy and fun.

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- Oh, and I love this floral pattern on this bag and this tshirt (they're in the shop, btw.)

Have a great weekend, everyone!!
-drew

kitchen table

my mom is third from the left | click to enlarge

My mom emailed me this photo yesterday... It's her and her family, sitting at the kitchen table, circa 1952. Check out my uncle in the white tshirt with his arms crossed.... totally 50s. And check out the metal cabinets and counter top.

Don't forget to leave answer the questions in the post below before this Sunday to be eligible for the drawing!

xoxoxo
-drew

P.S. It's REALLY hot and humid here right now. I'm NOT a person that does well with heat, so not a lot is getting done around here. Is it hot where you are?

where is this heading?

I've been wondering lately where Drew-O-Rama is heading. It started as Knit-O-Rama waaaayyyy back in May 2004. It then switched to Drew-O-Rama once I noticed I was blogging about more than knitting.

I generally just blog about things that inspire me, with the occasional post about things I'm making or about my Etsy shops.

However, lately I'm thinking that's too broad and that I need to reign it in a bit. Rachel is asking the same questions on her blog and I thought I'd do the same.

I'd love it if you could answer the three questions below and reply in the comments. I will be giving away one Vintage Paper Pack to one lucky person who leaves a comment. Winner will be drawn at random. Drawing closes at 11:59pm Eastern on July 25.

1. How would you classify this blog? If you had to choose one category to fit it into, what would it be? Crafts? Design? Personal/Diary? etc...

2. Would you like to see personal/diary type entries, vintage/visual inspiration, fashion, crafts/knitting, or a mix of all of the above?

3. Would ads on Drew-O-Rama bother you? (I'm thinking of selling ad/sponsor slots each month.)

4. What age group/occupation/sex are you? (18-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50+) (job, student, etc.) (female/male)

Thank you for your time!!! (And thanks to Rachel for the inspiration!)

UPDATE... Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey... you all definitely helped and gave me lots to think about! The winner is Layne!!! Congrats!

weekend

more smurf goodness | items ready for the shop | click to enlarge

knitting a sweater for a friend | suitcase I almost bought | click to enlarge

cool breezes on the balcony | tucker's in over-the-rhine | click to enlarge

I had a fun weekend full of thrifting... eating breakfast at a greasy spoon... watching Swedish movies and knitting... and eating ice cream and drinking wine on a balcony...

What did YOU do this weekend?

xoxox
-drew

v&v

i LOVE these two paintings | click to enlarge

I love this local arts organization, called Visionaries & Voices that provides artistic and cultural opportunities for artists with disabilities. Their tagline is "Where outsider art is always in."

amazing abstracts | click to enlarge

I'd love to have some of this artwork on my walls. However, the program is so popular and some of the artwork so good, that the better pieces can sell for more than $1000. That's a bit out of my price range.

Check out their website for more examples of art, and for a nice video about the organization.

sleeves

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I spent last night making a laptop sleeve prototype. It has a small flap at the top that closes with Velcro and has a layer of padding. I plan on making a bunch with vintage fabrics to add to the shop.

I'm also excited to make a few with my Smurf and Star Wars fabrics, like the pot holders that I love to make.

lush life

One of my favorite songs is "Lush Life" by Billy Strayhorn. It's very depressing, but I like its haunting melody as much as I like the lyrics. Check out the Natalie Cole version on YouTube.

I used to visit all the very gay places
those come what may places
where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
to get the feel of life
from jazz and cocktails
the girls i knew had sad and sullen gray faces
with distingué traces
that used to be there you could see where
they'd been washed away
by too many through the day
twelve o'clocktails

then you came along with your siren's song
to tempt me to madness
i thought for a while that your pointed smile
was tinged with the sadness
of a great love for me
ah yes i was wrong
again i was wrong

life is lonely again
and only last year
everything seemed so assured
now life is awful again
and the thoughtful of heart
could only be a bore

a week in paris will ease the bite of it
all i care is to smile in spite of it
i'll forget you i will
and yet you are still
burning inside my brain

romance is mush
stifling those who strive
i'll live a lush
life in some small dive
and there i'll be
while i rot with the rest
of those whose lives are lonely too

stripes

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I love looking through all the collections on Style.com. It looks like stripes are back! I've been meaning to get a new striped tshirt, but I haven't found the right one. I'm sure there will be a billion to choose from once the shops have their fall merchandise. And I love the idea of mixing the wider stripe with the narrow or with a vertical striped trouser. Oh, and I think I really need one of those Paddington Bear meets sailor toggle coats, don't you think?

xoxo
-drew

new stuff

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Check out the new items at KitschWear! Lots of cool new stuff, including summer dresses and shoes.

I'm also having a Christmas in July sale at both Kitsch Café and KitschWear... ANY item is 15% between now and July 25th.

flickr favorites: kitschy swiss

click to enlarge | photo credits and more photos here

click to enlarge | photo credits and more photos here

click to enlarge | photo credits and more photos here

click to enlarge | photo credits and more photos here

photo crazy

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I've been having a lot of fun with some new iPhone photo apps. I'm pretty sure you all know about Hipstamatic. You can also try MoreLomo which gives your photos a Lomography feel. There's also ShakeIt that takes your photos and crops them in to an old Polaroid shape complete with frame. I like how the ShakeIt app also makes the colors pop.

Are there any other photo apps out there that are also good?

Ciao for now
-drew

whirly girl

How cute is Whirly Girl Coffee and her open air coffee bar?! She's quickly becoming a Cincinnati staple at all the gallery openings, crafts shows, college campuses, farmers markets and other hipster events.

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I can't get enough of that camper! And check out the cool Calder-esque whirligig spinning like a beacon luring espresso lovers like a pied piper.

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To see more photos, check out her Flickr stream. And she knits, too!

Love ya!
-drew

summer days are crazy days!

Wow, what a day! Here's all the stuff that happened today:

- I got up bright and early and headed to the dentist's office to get my teeth cleaned. I know the dentist and he wanted to talk my head off while he was cleaning my teeth about this and that and this person and that person. All I could do was grunt when he asked me a question!

lots of packages waiting for be shipped | the coffeehouse!

- I was getting ready to start packing up a ton of orders from the shop when I got a phone call from my landlord... my power was going to be cut for 3 hours starting in 15 minutes! I did what I could once the power was off and actually got a lot of packages packed. But no power meant no fans which equalled HOT apartment. So, I got in the car and went thrifting!

thrifty finds for the shops | pillows hopefully available this september

- The power still wasn't on at 2:30, so I walked to the coffeehouse for some internet time, a cappuccino and some air conditioning. I spent the time writing an email to a special group of gals that are going to be carrying some Kitsch Café products starting in September. I can't wait to spill the beans in a few weeks!

- I headed to Blake's for dinner and then we took a walk along the Ohio River. I was having fun with my new iPhone apps, taking photos of this and that. I was always tagging along several yards behind him. When we got back to his place I fell asleep! I am usually a night owl and always get a second wind in the evening, but for some reason my body wanted to sleep.

blake and i saw lots of cool summery things on our evening walk

- Now I am enjoying a delicious strawberry, raspberry and blackberry smoothy. Yum!

I hope all of you are having fun filled and productive summer (or winter) days!
-drew

bench monday, 5 july

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When I was in the Yukon, I took a hike through a small portion of the Tombstone Territorial Park with my parents and oldest brother. I saw these rocks next to the Klondike River and knew it had to be a Bench Monday photo. I asked my brother to shoot the photos and voilà, here it is.

Enjoy!
-drew