Me - in short

Coffee or tea?
Tea!!!

Morning or evening?
Definitely evening!

Cats or dogs?
Both but cat tendencies can be observed.

Dark chocolate or white chocolate?
The darker the better! ^^

Tiny purses or big totes?
Big totes!

Sci-fi or love story?
Sci-fi!!!

Bright red or modest grey?
Bright red definitely!

Long hair or short hair?
Long hair all my life.

Glass half empty or half full?
Half full! ^^

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You Are The Empress

You represent the ideal female figure: beauty and nurturing. You bring security and harmony to many. At times, you are also a very sensual person. You are characterized by love, pleasure, and desire. Your fortune: You need to take some time to think about the role of commitment in your life. It's possible you need to commit more to others, or deal with how others have treated you. It is very important for you to support your friends and family right now, difficult as it may be. You may need to look at your relationship with your mother, or your relationships as a mother.

What Tarot Card Are You?

True, true... ^^

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I've been thinking recently about my life. Samhain has come and passed, the Wheel of the Year turned again, and I started my thirty-third year of my existence.

I must say I've had a pretty good life up till now: married to a long-time friend, having a group of trustworthy friends, living my life more or less my way, no major disasters or illnesses.

And recently I've felt that some stage in my life has ended and a new era is coming - time for more creative living, for more hard work but more fun and profits out of it, both intellectual and financial. I can feel that new doors are opening for me and it's up to me to decide whether I want take up new challenges or not (and I feel I do! ^^).

I feel I want to stand up for what I do in my life - I don't want to listen anymore to people saying that I should get a proper job (because they think that being at home and having an on-line clothes shop I design and sew is NOT a proper job at all...), that I should have kids (because I don't feel ready, and maybe I never will, but that's MY choice), that I should buy cheaper car, dress differently, have normal hobbies, do this and that...

I have a feeling that the next year of my life will be special! *^v^*

And there was much rejoicing!

Last night we had a triple birthday party (mine - which is on 31st October, and my friends Anna's and Lukasz's). ^^
We hired a club for a night, put on our favourite music and had fun till 2 am! *^v^*

That's me in my new dress I've made for the occasion, the corset and the choker I've made some time ago. Do you like my new hair style? ^-^


That's Anna in her stylish hat.


And here is Marzena and Lukasz.


Our birthday cake (delicious!!!). It says "triple birthday" on it, and our initials J for Joanna, A for Anna and L for Lukasz.

And then we had fun on the dancefloor! ^^




And soon I'll post some pictures of the things I've been creating recently. ^^

Gram Maria

Last night we went to a gothic concert. I wasn't very keen on going but then we really had a good time there! ^^
First there was a support band playing - Polish fresh gothic group called Splendor - they are very good and very creative as far as the stage performance is concerned.


And then the real show started - Japanese Gram Maria appeared on stage! Wow! They were awesome!!! The vocalist was very lively, running around the stage and trying to communicate with the audience in English, but frankly speaking, his English was terrible... Anyway, whatever he said, girls were screaming like crazy, so it didn't really matter! *^-^*

I got lots of inspiration for outfits for my gothic shop! ^^

Here are our outfits:

(Marzena and her husband Lukasz)


(Our little group - I took the photo)


(Anna and me)

And last a very gothic scenery outside the club:

(Marzena, Lukasz, Robert, me and Anna)

Can you believe it?...

I was so busy for the last two weeks that I have no idea where the most of October has gone!... I've been sewing a lot - and I mean A LOT!
I finished the first part of my merchandise for the folk gallery I'm starting to cooperate with - some pincushions (see my Flickr) and a selection of hand-embroidered placemats (these are called "For a couple" and there are two of them in a set):

(bigger photos on my Flickr)

I made a Gothic Lolita outfit for my friend Marzena for today's concert of a j-rock band:





And yes, I totally didn't have time to think about my own outfit!... I'll be wearing the faux leather dress my husband designed and sewn for me some time ago.
(Although I don't feel like going there at all... I'm very tired and I'd prefer to stay at home, put some nice music on, eat dinner with our friends - I baked two chickens this afternoon... But, well, the tickets are bought and our friends are coming from the town next to Warsaw especially for this concert so we are going.)

And the bad news is I won't be able to knit the October bag for Bag Me KAL... I really really wanted to knit this one because I love the design, but not this month - I just had no time and I won't have time either next week - yes, more sewing on the horizon...
I'm a bit sad...

Socktoberfest

Look what I got yesterday in my mailbox! ^^

This is my prize for the kokoshnik (Whiplash September). *^-^*
"Last Minute Knitted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson (I already have some favourite patterns I'd like to knit! ^^), and a 4 oz. skein of handmade yarn from Natasha Fialkov - it's a colour #151 called "punk rock" - funky! ^^
(Although I don't know yet what I could do with it - it's only 4 oz., any suggestions, please?... I thought about naalbinded purse - since it's handmade it would be highly appropriate to use it in this way, but I'm still deciding)


Socktoberfest questions: (and answers ^^)

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
Several months ago I decided it's time to try dpns and knitted my first sock (which is still a single, because I don't like the yarn I used for it, let's just say it was done for practice purposes! ^^)
What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
My first pair were Lithuanian socks from "Folk Socks" by Nancy Bush.
What would you have done differently?
Used bigger needles and cast on more stitches - I really like them, I wish they fitted my feet...
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
I love the OPAL yarn because of the self emerging pattern I get from a single skein! ^^
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
Only tried 5 dpns, must check the other methods.
Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
No preferences.
How many pairs have you made?
I'm a beginners in this field - one pair (Lithuanian socks from N. Bush's book), one Waffles sock (the first practice one), one long sock from a strange yarn (awful stripes, decided to frog it!), one OPAL sock (I hope to make the second one this October! ^^)

Happy Tuesday, guys! I'm coming back to my sewing machine right now! ^^

Cat recovered quickly

Thank you very much for your concern about my cat - frankly speaking, she's up and running today... ^^

Last night, when Robert came home, he took her from under the bed. It turned out that she took off the dressing from her stitched wound, so we just removed the last piece of a bandage that got stuck onto her fur. So much for the neccessary visit to the doctor's on Friday! ^^ But we still didn't want to let her go outside yet, so we kept the windows closed, much to her disappointment.

Then I had to leave for my bellydance class, and when I finished, I got a call from Robert saying, that he couldn't watch the cat suffer and whine, and he... opened the window and let her go out! Barbi was so happy she was finally set free that she disappeared into the night and didn't want to come back at all... Finally, around midnight, I went out onto the balcony and found her laying on the sheepskin (her favourite place on our balcony! ^^), so I invited her in, fed her and we went to bed totally happy and in love again. >^v^<

Generally speaking, she looks like everything is okay with her paw, tries to lick it a bit but cannot because of the ends of the stitches sticking out, so leaves it alone and behaves as if nothing happened. *^-^*

Bellydancing

Have I told you that this semester we are going to learn the veil dance? I'm sooooo happy!!! *^-^* I love love love dancing with a veil and after some step practice classes we are finally going to start veil movements next Thursday! ^^

Have a great weekend, guys! Mine is going to be both: busy and entertaining, because I'll be finishing many items for the folk gallery and gothic lolita outfit for my friend Marzena (for the next Saturday concert we are going), and tomorrow we are having friends over for a fondue dinner. ^^

One more news of the day: I can finally take Paypal!!! Up till now I could pay somebody with Paypal, but I couldn't get any payment (I don't know why, maybe because of some international bank laws, but Poland was not allowed to accept money via Paypal, only pay with it). It means I can sell things abroad - on ebay or directly to you! I'm soooo happy! *^-^*

There was some stitching done...

... but unfortunately I'm not talking about sewing or knitting.

Last night my kitty Barbi came home with a deep cut around her paw and we went to the vet to check it. It looked really nasty so he decided to stitch it. He also checked her jaws and removed two teeth in a bad condition. One hour and 60 $ later she looked like that on the pillow on our sofa.


She couldn't move at all for about half an hour, but then she started to walk in different directions and fell off the sofa twice, when her legs suddenly refused to work (the sedative still worked).
Today she doesn't leave me for an inch (now she's in my lap when I'm sitting at the computer), and is very angry that I write when I should cuddle her all the time and pay all my attention to her condition. ^^

I've been very busy this week, created lots of things for my new place to sell my things - folk gallery (photos soon), and on Monday I terminated cooperation with some other gallery.
What happened?
Well... They took some of my embroidered belts, crocheted doilies and chokers in January this year. Then one belt was sold and I got mail from a girl saying that they are not sure which one was sold, because they got a bit lost with what they have and what they sold, and so on. I was a bit angry, because I gave her the list of all my things, with pictures, descriptions and prices, we exchanged several mails, the girl felt offended that I told her about responsibilities of a shop in this situation and about the shop-artisan relations, and frankly speaking, about the mess she had in her gallery. Then suddenly her colleague joined the discussion and she determined which belt was sold and how much money the owe me. It was in May.
Last week I wrote to them that I'd like to have workshops in their gallery next year (naalbinding, heddle weaving, tablet weaving), they were very enthusiastic about it, and then in the Post Scriptum to their mail I read: "And one more thing - we sold one of your belts in the Summer (!!!) but we don't know which one, so give us some time to find it out." I got furious!... I went there on Monday, met with a colleague of the girl I was talking to (because she was home with a sick child, but that's very often her excuse for not being in the shop...), she apologised to me and we collected all my items from their shop - it turned out that they sold NOT a belt, but a choker!... So I took the money and took all my creations (one doily was stained with some juice...), and decided not to give them anymore things to sell. How can people be so irresponsible? It's all about trust, about order, about somebody's hard work and creative thinking, about money... It's not about "let's play shop, I'll be selling some things you gave me, and maybe I'll loose or destroy some of them, or forget that I sold something and give you the money several months later, by the way of our conversation on other subject"...I don't understand such approach to business and I'm not going to agree on such treatment!

Now, back to caressing my cat again, it's soooooo soothing... ^^

Some time later that day...
On-line conversation with my husband:

Me: I'm going to a vet with Barbi right now.
Robert: Good luck!
Me (after a while): No way, I cannot put het into the basket!...
Robert: Oh, that's a problem...
Me: I am two hands short...
Robert: Have you tried to put a basket with the doors upwards and slide the cat into it?
Me: Yes, I tried. Claws all over me...
Robert: So, maybe try to put her into some travelling bag, with a zipper.
Me: Hm...
Robert: Or one of your big totes...
Me (after a while): Great! Now the cat's under the bed. Claws all over me...
Robert: Cool! Bags are also under the bed!... ^^
Me: I've opened the window and pretend I'm going to let her go outside. And waiting...
Robert: Clever!...
Me (after a while): Victory! Cat's in the basket, I'm rushing out to the vet! ^^

Now, the cat has been under the bed for two hours, totally offended by my strange idea of taking her to a vet for an antibiotic shot, and probably decided not to speak to me ever again. Oh, well... *^-^*

Whiplash - accessories

It's my entry for the October Whiplash competition at Whip Up - category: design.

Since I love different costumes, I change them very often. ^^ You already know my medieval side, time to meet the gothic part of myself. *^-^*
Today I want to show you a set of accessories I sewn for my Gothic Lolita outfit:


It consists of:
- two cotton sleeves, with an elastic in the upper part
- a cotton apron with lace
- a cotton choker
All of them I sewn and then free-hand painted using the fabric paint, design is my own.

And here are some photos of me wearing the whole outfit (sorry for the poor quality, but it was a dark club and dark evening).

Autumn really started

It's raining outside, and the sky is grey and gloomy, but I'm not! ^^ (although when I was coming home with my shopping, rain soaked my bread roll, well...)
Because I'm planning and designing new items I'll be selling in a new on-line gallery. *^-^*

Yesterday I met with a lady who opened a Polish folk and folk-inspired gallery, and she wants to sell my things there! ^^ And I am a great Polish folk designs admirer, I've been making traditional embroidered items since I was little, my beloved grandmother taught me different embroidery techniques and it seems that I'll be able to use what I learnt now.
I'll be making for the gallery:
- pincushions (a bit different design that you saw on my blog)
- cellphone cozies
- placemats
- belts
- quilted cushion covers
These are the plans, for now I have two weeks to prepare first batch of items, namely pincushions and cellphone cozies. Maybe something more, but I'm not sure, two weeks is not a lot of time for an embroideress!...

Knitting and Naalbinding update
All items grew a bit, photos soon. ^^

Looking forward to October

First of all, I'm sooooooo happy!!! I won in the Whiplash September competition!!!
My kokoshnik won a prize in the Skill category, wow (right next to two cute childrens hats)! *^v^*

New month, new projects! ^^

Folk Socks KAL
Suspended for October, too. I still have some other projects, including OPAL socks (I know, I know...) . I joined the Socktoberfest to make sure I'll finish them this month!...

In the meantime I changed my first unfinished Mameluke Sock into a cellphone cozy...

The socks just didn't have the proper socks vibes, so my cellphone is very stylish now! ^^

Naalbinding
I started a shawl. I must say I really LOVE the way it turns out! Colour changes are divine! It's a bit like weaving, because I take a long piece of yarn, work it into the shawl, then take another colour - whichever I fancy, and the beautiful fabric appeares right in front of my eyes. ^^

I wasn't sure whether it's possible to naalbind a flat object like this but it seems to be rather easy - I just have to be carefull when I turn the shawl around - I must keep the correct number of stitches. It's just the beginning, I think I'll need to make 6 or 7 repeats of the part from the darkest brown to the orange, and I can't wait till it's finished and I can wear it! (I know, I'm making it for my historical outfit, but I think it'll be perfectly suitable to wear over my moss green Autumn coat! ^^)
Some close ups:


Christmas Gifts
I started to knit my first Christmas gift - for my Mother-in-Law I: the Liesel Shawl.
Here is the progress so far:


And here is half of the Emelia choker by Jen that I'm making for Anna for her birthday next week. I hope I'll finish it on time! ^^


Bag Me KAL
New bag for Bag Me KAL - this month I'm going to knit this beauty:
English Garden

Overwhelmed by many different projects in August and September, and also by my felting disaster (remember: superwash doesn't felt, no matter how hard you try!...), I was either late with a project or didn't complete it, but this month I am determined to be on time and have a new bag ready for my birthday party! ^^