Bloghttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/en-US2010-07-29T23:55:32ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)A quick updatehttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/26/a-quick-update.htmlCrystal2010-07-27T03:27:21ZStatus UpdatesHere's what I've been up to the last couple of weeks, between dodging thunderstorms and the heat.

Doll House Project:

Not sure what project I'm going to do next for this. Probably the paintings for the windows. It's been so hot lately (105 - 109 Degrees F) that I've been putting off staining the board for the floor for fear the won't dry properly.

Denim Bag:

All sewn together, and ready to embroider. Now to just tinker with the design, and get some scrap to do some practice stitching. Photos of the finished bag, sans embroidery.

New project: Clock Tam 1

I've been working on a trial run of the clock tam this week. I'm using acrylic yarn, with needles the proper size for that yarn, to do the test. It's going to be my first time cableing and I didn't want to try it with the very nice wool that came with the kit.

It took me 4 days an 3 rip outs to get the 1x1 ribbing started. I haven't got the rythem down for moveing the yarn between each stitch. It' makes me have to watch my knitting very closely.

Uh oh thunderstorm more later.

]]>Denim Messanger Bag updatehttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/12/denim-messanger-bag-update.htmlCrystal2010-07-12T05:00:43ZSewingI've gotten back to working on my denim messenger bag, after a super busy May, and June. Here's what it looks like so far.

I had enough to do all light denim, but I love the dark denim near the lighter colored. I'm going to use Velcro to keep it shut.

The outside partchally sewn up. You can see the chalk lines from my rough draft of the pattern.

Here's the liner. Behind the logo you can see where I goofed a bit sewing up that side. I'm tempted to rip it out, but I probably won't. It's not going to effect what I'm using the bag for.

Here you see the pocket. And my first zipper ever!

Here's the strap. I'm to do a straight stitch around it so that it'll stay flat while in use. After that I need to hem the outside of the flap, the top of the outer bag, and the liner.

I hope to get that done later today, but I'm doubtful that I will. Thunderstorms in the forecast. Ah well, will have to wait until the time to sew gets here. For now, it's time for bed!

]]>Sad little birdhttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/9/sad-little-bird.htmlCrystal2010-07-09T20:22:40ZArt Sketches

I drew a swirl bird, his eyes came out so sad. I wondered why. It turns out that his favorite swirl flower has wilted. It must be the last one of this season for him to be so sad. It makes me want to give him a hug.

Mmm... I wonder what this speicies of swril bird eats. Swirl beetles, and bugs, perhaps?

]]>Project Previewhttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/7/project-preview.htmlCrystal2010-07-08T04:30:05ZArtAnother step in getting my 'mystery project' done. It is a technology blog of a kind. I'm not saying just what kind though. Still working on polishing up the posts. I have lots of ideas for it, and I'm trying to jot them down in an idea book for the site. For later on when I'm having one of those days that I'm drawing a blank.

The amount of ideas right now are slowing me down... I'm letting myself juimp around too much from one to the next. I'll get there eventually :)

]]>Swirl Flower Medallionhttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/5/swirl-flower-medallion.htmlCrystal2010-07-06T02:36:04ZArt

Spent the greater part of today wracking my brain trying to come up with what I wanted to draw... Out of it came this. Used the black areas to draw the eye to the center flower, the white gaps let the eyes wander out again to the outer swirls.

]]>A Handful of Linkshttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/3/a-handful-of-links.htmlCrystal2010-07-04T03:05:35ZFeatured SitesIt's been a bit slow on art the last couple of days, so I thought I'd show y'all some links I found interesting this week.

I was reading the etsy blog and came across this featured studio. It's a pretty example of what can be done with a small space, and it still feel very crafty. Open Studio Tour: TinyBazaar

Seth Goldin's Blog this week has had three posts that really made me think. Validation Is Overrated, Do you have the right to be Heard?, and today's The non optimized life.

Over on MAKE:'s blog they featured a video of a painting done via iPad.

Threadbanger.com has had a changing of the guard seemingly it's quite sudden. I'm thankful for all the projects that Corinne, Rob, and Meg have showed over the last three years, and I will refer back to them quite often. Watching them is what got me started back sewing again.

The newest show on the network Secret life of a Bio Nerd holds quite a bit of promise, and I enjoy the host quite a bit. I'm looking forward to seeing more episodes from her.

]]>Swirly Daisieshttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/7/1/swirly-daisies.htmlCrystal2010-07-01T23:08:44ZArt Sketches

I think my favorite part of this is the butterfly... Thinking about doing a page of them later on.

]]>Dollhouse Remodel 002: Crochet Bed Spread - Finished.http://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/6/29/dollhouse-remodel-002-crochet-bed-spread-finished.htmlCrystal2010-06-29T05:37:53ZCrochet Projects

I still have to work in the ends, but I finished this up Sunday. It looks good with the color of the wood, and on top of the blanket.

My Dad made the bed to be an old fashioned 'rope' bed, and my mom made a fitting pillow for the mattress. (The shiny stuff under the bed is a sheet of plexiglass that's part of my art desk to prevent from staining the paint.)

Now I just have to figure out what color sheets and pillow cases to sew.... Time to hit mom's fabric stash. :)

]]>New Photo: Lavender Skyhttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/6/25/new-photo-lavender-sky.htmlCrystal2010-06-26T03:10:57ZPhotography

Part of a beautiful sunset, after a bad storm a few weeks ago.

Want to see more of my Photos? Click here.

]]>Dollhouse Remodel 001: Crochet Bed Spreadhttp://www.crystaltillman.com/blog/2010/6/23/dollhouse-remodel-001-crochet-bed-spread.htmlCrystal2010-06-24T04:28:33ZCrochet ProjectsI'm putting the cart before the horse a bit on this one. I'm posting a photo of something I'm making for the doll house, before I post photos of the actual dollhouse. The photos I took of the dollhouse didn't turn out as good as I thought. I'm going to have to retake them before posting.

My dad built me a Doll house for my Barbie dolls when I was still in the single digets (will have to consult with parents for a more exact age). At the time I decorated it with contact paper, and paint. It was awesome, and I spent many an hour playing with it.

Over the past couple of years, I've been planning and working some on redoing it to be more like what I dreamed of when I was younger. To paint the walls, have windows, and paintings. To make it a dream house. I'm using what we have on hand as much as possible, along with the Barbie furniture I already have.

My dad built a bed for my dollhouse, and my mom made a mattress, pillows, and a wool blanket for it. (Photos to come later.) I decided to add to that by making pillow cases, sheets, and a bedspread. This is what I have done so far on the bed spread:

(Note to self, work on your lighting a bit before taking more photos... Sorry about that.)

Its a simple pattern of 1 row single crochet, 1 row double crochet, then 1 row triple crochet. Then repeat until done.

I had intended to do the entire bedspread with the brighter crochet thread on the left, but their wasn't enough of it on the spool. My mom suggested the purple and cream thread on the left to go with it. I'm going to put a section of the same thread on the bottom as well. You can see it with the wool blanket here:

My best guess on the hook size is that it's an American D (not sure how they're sized in other parts of the world). It was in a set that a friend gifted me and doesn't have the size stamped on it anywhere.

After I put one row of triple crochet, and one last row of single on the top. I'm going to cut the thread, and add the same number of rows below the 'bright' colored thread.

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