Happy Zombie

I’m feeling a bit like a shopping pimp lately, but I love to share my sweet finds like these killer Sock Guy unicorn socks. I have mad love for Sock Guy socks, and not just because there are so many awesome designs and styles, and the king/queen of cycling fashion — but because I suffer from Neuropathy (for reasons unknown, but all signs point to nerve damage from multiple surgeries and reconstruction on one of my feet) and these socks are like magic on me feet (specifically on my toes). These socks are not marketed as Neuropathy socks, but for what ever reason these socks take a huge edge off my pain. Especially after long rides. Or just everyday wear.

But seriously. How freaking cute are they? Hella cute, that’s how cute.

 

 

Sock truths. #🦄

A photo posted by Monica Solorio-Snow ✂️ (@happy_zombie) on Jul 21, 2016 at 3:47pm PDT

I got my unicorn pair here. (or see all of the Sock Guy socks here)

And because I love unicorns. Even the ones with missing horns.

 

Took the long 🚲 route to the bank today and made a new friend. Poor thing, she seems to have lost her horn. 🦄

A photo posted by Monica Solorio-Snow ✂️ (@happy_zombie) on Jul 19, 2016 at 6:01pm PDT

Everything looks so much better and happier when it’s smiling back at me. I found this new-to-me app for my iphone called Tiny Faces. And now the world looks even better when I know it’s got cute, kawaii, happy face potential.

Jet Puff Marshmallow harvest in Astoria, Oregon.

There we go, that’s better.

The Cloud near Hillsboro, Oregon.

The Cloud on happy.

I have no affiliation with this app - just trying to spread some happy.

Dear Japan,
I’m convinced I will eat anything if it’s in cute packaging. Even bland rice crackers for babies that look like tiny mini-pads. Thank you for making life magical and cute.
Love,
me

Bloglovin

This is not a cry for help. I repeat, this is not a cry for help. At least not for now at this very moment.

Starting back when Lori and I did our iPhone sew-along (Lori’s, mine) with Ayumi’s Lunch bag (purse) pattern, I have not been able to stop making them or stop thinking about making them.   I see fabric and all I want to do it harvest a small collection that would make for a cute lunch bag (or as I lovingly call them now:  Ayumi Purses).

This last Saturday I made two more.  I couldn’t decide which Suzy Ultman Appleville brown or Appleville white to use, so I made both.  BOTH!  Paired with some of Tula’s Prince Charming and Robert Kaufman’s “ring” fabric - it would have been criminal not to make both.

It was a sewing-day with the Portland Modern Quilt Guild, and if I hadn’t spent so much time proclaiming (proclaiming = When Harry Met Sally deli scene) how cute the pattern and the fabrics were together, I might have even been able to crank out an additional bag.  That’s Susan waving hi - she’s so dang squeezably cute! And that unusual bright light emanating from the window in the top right of the photo - that’s sunshine people. Sun. Shine.  Dispelling all rumors that Oregonian’s are Mole People. Fact.

I’m playing with making the lunch bag bigger, so I decided to go all Scarlett O’Hara ish and use the (Darlene Zimmerman Mama’s Kitchen) fabric that was once my sewing room’s closet curtains at my previous house.

I love how Lecien’s red check from their Color Basic’s collection goes with Darlene’s fabric! Cutting and sewing next up (and fingers crossed my upsizing hacks work out).

As soon as I got wind that Michael Miller flipped the switch on the way-back time machine and was bringing back Patty’s Andalucia  - I flew over to the Fat Quarter Shop and ordered me some of the Andalucia II.

It’s not an addiction if everybody joins in with me, right? And now on to the next harvesting of lunch bag fabrics… what ever they may be… re-Flea Market Fancy…

I love the holidays. LOVE them. I LOVE the hustle and bustle, the merriment and merrymaking, the making and the sewing, the gifting and the prezzies, the ornaments and decorations. Most of all I love my family and friends that go with all the holiday goodness.

I also love stopping to smell the eye candy. Rest. Resting. Respite.
Refueling my tank.

Fueling some more - tank is just about full.

The cutest Christmas tree ornament ever!  I got this gem from Magpie Ethel at her booth at the Laurelhurst Winter Bazaar yesterday.  It’s on it’s way to a new home, so I may have to hunt Magpie Ethel down at Crafty Wonderland next Sunday for some more sparkle crack! Once you go sparkle…

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Once upon a time there was this girl. This girl loved to play with fabric, floss and felt. La la dee, la la daaa… just stitching way while playing with her friends in Internetlandia. Then one day, a prince showed up on a white horse and sporting a trumpet and some parchment. Tooot too taa toooo… his trumpet blared, and he then announced - “Here ye, here ye, The Queen of All Things Cute and Inspiring requests your presence at her table…”

So it really went more like this:
Amy Powers: Would you like to be in the next issue of inspired ideas?
Me: Thump (me falling out of my chair).  Splat (me falling into my puddle of pee).

Fast forward and a freshly mopped floor - here’s the project I made for the issue: A little purse that’s actually a needlebook/sewing kit. The inside opens up to reveal little places to store your little scissors, floss, thread, emergency chocolate, punch-cards… perfect to grab for some sewing on the go.

To celebrate the release of issue, I’m throwing myself an OMG-I-can’t-believe-I’m-in-inspired ideas party and I’m going to give-away one of these needlebooks.  Winner can pick either the Flower Sugar or the Flea Market Fancy one.  Leave me a comment (with your choice if you’d like) by midnight (PST) Feb 14th and I’ll draw a winner.

Here’s all the OMG about the issue:
- More than 170 pages of over 20 projects!
- Beautiful, beautiful inspiring pages!
- Amazing artists!
- Fabulous content!
- A sneak peek here and here!
- No ads!
- It’s so freaking cute you’ll squeeze your internet!
There’s a small charge of $3.30 for this issue and you can get a copy here.

O M G… I still can’t believe I’m in inspired ideas!  And O-M-freaking-G… the who’s who of artists I’m sharing pages with.  Me… with all those SUPER-DUPER-SUPERSTARS.  Gonna need that mop again.

Edited in:
The give-away is now over and I have a winner. TWO WINNERS, actually! Winner, winner - Colin the chicken dinner!!! I decided to give both purses away - twice as much fun for me! Plus I love surprises and I get to feel like Oprah for a split nano second.
1st winner: Comment #210 - Grace from Katmom4 (she picked Flea Market Fancy)
2nd winner: Comment #49 - Megan from Monkey Beans (she picked Flower Sugar)

I’m so honored to be caboose’n the last day of Bari’s Inspired to Sew Book Blog Tour! I’m just honored to be a part of it, period!  Bari is giving a copy of her beautiful book to one lucky person on my blog - and all you have to do is leave me a comment.  If you’d like to mention what INSPIRES you TO SEW in your comment… please do!

I’m inspired to sew when I see something, and think how much more I’d love it if I made it myself.  I also feel empowered if I make something myself.  I think people who cook feel the same way - there’s a very nurturing quality about making stuff, especially if it’s for someone else. Reason #126 why I love Bari’s new book… it’s not just drop dead gorgeous… but all the projects in her book are something I want to make - to make for others.  Like Bari’s tea-cozy… it’s something I might be able to buy ready-made - but not even close to as pretty as Bari’s projects.  Plus after I make them they’re infused with love - that’s something that can’t be bought.

I love this tea set… cozy, pad and teabag.  It just screams to me to make it - and then have friends over for tea.   Not just sewing projects… but little projects that make doing something all the more fun, and with friends.  The little tea projects are sew-cial treats!

There’s lots, lots, lots more inside the beautiful pages of Inspired to Sew - and a copy could be yours!  Leave me a comment by midnight PST Thursday, February 10, 2011 and one lucky name will be drawn.  If you haven’t already, be sure to travel back in time to stop by and visit the other blogs on the tour.  WOW… look at this list-o-greatness I’m with!

January 31: Mary Abreu - Confessions of a Craft Addict

February 1: Jennifer Paganelli - Sis Boom

February 2: Jona Giammalava - Stop Staring and Start Sewing

February 3: Rashida Coleman Hale - i heart linen

February 4: Sarah Fielke - the last piece

February 5: Jenny Doh - CRESCENDOh

February 6: Cara Wilson - Cara Quilts

February 7: Deborah Moebes - Whipstitch

February 8: Monica Solorio-Snow - Happy Zombie

EDITED IN:
Give-away has now ended. And the winner is…
…
…
… (these are drum-rolls, BTW)
…
…
… gotta go to Bari’s blog and find out here!!

I did it.  I made the transition from flip-flops to shoes - and feeling rather Halloweenishy.  Huge thanks to Calamity Kim for showing the cutest shoes EVER on her flickr.  Kim kindly led me and my plastic money down the cute shoe path.  The T.U.K. Women’s Cat Mary Jane can be found here.  I have a foot issue - so I took my seam ripper and removed the straps.  Tadah… my Meowy Janes!

These shoes should come with a warning.  You will be stopped by the nicest people where ever you go with Meowy Janes on your feet - your shoes will be admired and inquired about.  Not for the shy or anti-social.  This concludes the warning.

I just can’t stop gushing over this DARLING kit I bought in Jen’s etsy shop. When I received it, I thougt no way can I cut into this… must leave adorable kit intact. After a few days of opening and closing the tin’s lid… fondling the contents - I took a deep breath and got out my scissors. I thought I heard the fabric let out a quiet scream, but soon realized it was just gasping for air (let me out, let me out).  Jen’s kit was so put together, she even added a precious little needlebook.  I feel like I hit the mother-load of all things cute and kit’y.   And Jen even snuck in a few pieces of Minny Muu!

I dove in with my handy dandy yo-yo maker, and decided once the yo-yo was made I couldn’t see enough of the gorgeous Swell fabric (you know, Swell… by the Urban Chicks… yes, those Urban Chicks… Pam’s friends). Anyhoo…  I decided I wanted to see more of the Swell, and took a stab at making some hexes.  I have those nice big hex plastic “patties”, but they were gianormus.   Enter thought bubble over my head.  Now a light bulb.  Now me squirming.  I have to pee, I’ll be right back.  Back to thought bubble.  Question mark.  Light bulb back on.  AH HA.  I can finally use my Darlene Zimmerman hex tool and make my own from thin plastic.  Now thought bubble turns to wavey dreamy remembering blur seeing on Pam’s blog she had all the info about the ruler. Ding sound. Elbow cupped in my hand while my other hand rubs my chin. Yes, yes… Pam’s done all the work writing about it, why duplicate it?!

So I wasn’t quite done with my kit, and it hangs on my design wall waiting to be bound. I’m stumped as to what color fab to bind it in. I fear red will make it look Valentiney, and the aqua is too hard to match… so I’m still in audition mode.  [Thought bubble… WWPKMD?]

Seeing Pam’s post, and seeing that Nanette and Jenny have also gotten Jen’s kit (and that Doe needs reviving, and maybe Laurie too)… I knew I had to shout from the roof-tops, that dang it… I must have kick ass good taste!  Oh, and that I’m also lazy.

PS… speaking of Laurie, if I’m not too late… a little someone-someone needs a new home.

Dang… my posts have been getting sparser and sparser.  I’ve been so busy with getting ready for Market (that’s SPRING ‘09 Market… not Fall ‘08 - sadly I won’t be able to attend Fall Market, sniff).  Busy, busy, busy… but I did manage to get in some fun play-time with my friends.  And what a wonderful time it was!

My little girl gang recently was treated to a wonderful day at my friend Sally’s house to celebrate her new craft studio. Many know of my friend Karen and her talented ways… but there’s another Snyder-girl who has the same gifts… Sally! Karen… cloth. Sally… paper. What a dynamic sister duo. So much to show, so much to tell. I think this is the longest/biggest post I’ve ever made, so I’ll keep my words to a minimum (I can hear the sighs of relief).

Lime + Black + White = Bliss

Sally with Bette.  Bette is Karen and Sal’s mom… and also my pretend mom/my second mom.  Bette is gifted too… with kindness, wit, humor, generosity, grace, beauty, style, extraordinary fashion sense and so much more.

Big sis Karen (R) and Connie’s sis Carol (L).  Carol was visiting from Oklahoma and became an honorary member of our girl gang/mini guild for the day.  I think she should move up here and become a permanent member.

L to R - Connie, Carol and Karen. (say that 5 x fast)

Sal shows us what’s in her drawers… Robin is caught off guard by what I just described.

Bette… so proud of her talented daughters.  Behind Bette is a mural Sally had commissioned.  It looks so real and you can’t help but want to touch it.

Endless storage hidden behind cupboard doors.

Wow… it [the cupboard] recesses really far back.  I bet it almost reaches Idaho.

Sal showing Connie and Carol the closet.  Something very foreign to me… a closet door that opens - and nothing spills out of it into a big heap on the floor. Must take notes.

So this is what those big sliding things at the bottom of a cabinet are for.

This is what organization looks like up close.  Again, very foreign to me.

Serious knobby love.

Bette typing on a vintage iPhone.

Who are you sending a text message to, Bette?  “Why to Monica, of course!”

Window delight.

Sparkle delight.

We all wore lime, black and white for the occasion. I made little fabric flower broaches for us to don.

Even Chris and Michelle dressed in lime/black/white for the party.

Ok, not really.  Psyche.

Craft tote I made for Sal. I used my Quilts & More purse pattern and extended the width of the pocket piece by 4″, and pleated it to make the pockets expand to hold crafty tools.

Tree-o-gifts on Sally’s kitchen table.

Look, look! A little bit of PamKittyMorning at Sal’s!  Licorice scotties from TJ’s.  Mmmm.

Sal set her lunch table so beautifully.  It was almost too pretty to eat at.  Almost. Nothing will stop me from partaking in a food event - no matter how pretty or cute.

Karen dishing up some YUM mac-n-cheese.  Another talent of the Snyder Sisters… mac-n-cheese.  I love both of theirs equally (keeping the peace so they’ll both feed theirs to me again).

A nice shot of Robin - she always has a wonderful smile on her face.  Always.

Dessert for the eyes.  Glass candies.

What a wonderful day it was - and it was even SUNNY!