Maganda Design

Unfinished grannies. Part of a massive blanket I'm crocheting

2011-04-14T20:20:00.001-04:00

Getting a little early morning sewing done

2011-04-03T08:36:00.001-04:00

decorating my apartment: diy garland from children's books

2011-01-29T12:29:00.001-05:00

I recently moved just across the D.C. border to the arts district of Hyattsville, Maryland. The new place is huge -- two bedrooms and more than enough space for all my clothes, typewriters, yarn and crafting supplies.

The one downside is that the walls are renters white and there's no option to paint. So I've been thinking of ways to brighten this place up so the walls aren't so bare.

So yesterday while unwinding from a busy week I decided to drink some champagne (don't judge!) and sew some garland from children's books my friend (who is a teacher in D.C.) donated to me. I used the 1-inch hole punch that I usually use with my button maker.

I'm loving the instant color it brings to a lonely closet door in one of the hallways.

Under $5 Thrift Finds: Kitchen Art

2011-01-12T22:48:00.000-05:00

AWESOME fabric only $4.99. Huge embroidery hoop, free (Christmas present from Kim).

Under $5 Thrift Finds: Golden Hands

2010-11-09T19:28:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to score two whole binders of Golden Hands periodicals (for $2.50 each)! They are definitely an inspiration to flip through plus the projects go in-depth on explaining technique of various crafts. Some of the projects are a little too out there for me, but I'm keeping them all nonetheless.

Under $5 Thrift Finds: Knit Magic

2010-10-31T14:49:00.005-04:00

This little machine made my most recent thrift excursion a success! Totally planning to have this gem on display when I move to my new apartment.

maybe print is not dead

2010-10-23T12:50:00.000-04:00

Print Is Not Dead from Anthology Magazine on Vimeo.

Beautiful video advertising the new Anthology Magazine.

Under $5 Thrift Finds

2010-10-22T11:11:00.002-04:00

A mysterious grab bag for $1.99 doesn't look too exciting at first glance.

But the contents are amazing. Metallic rick rack, pretty pink grosgrain ribbon, sailboat ribbon and some lace trim!

Happy fall ya'll

2010-10-21T09:26:00.003-04:00

I used to say spring was my favorite season but I am really digging fall in DC right now.

This may be very bad for my purse

2010-10-18T22:43:00.000-04:00

I can only imagine the wonderful treasures I will covet...

My Dayjob Workspace

2010-10-18T17:26:00.001-04:00

With a little handmade flair my new cubicle is quite cozy.

hello deer

2010-10-09T16:49:00.002-04:00

Today I went to meet my old college roommate for brunch in Adams Morgan. From my underground lair I assumed it was a chilly fall day. But no, it was warm and wonderful. Thus the reason why I went to visit my friend Daisy after eating to find a suitable outfit to wear. I scooped up this gorgeous Betsey Johnson dress. Yes those are deer in the pattern. I love this dress. Also I apologize for somewhat crappy cell phone picture we took of it.

Maganda Design at Crafty Bastards

2010-10-08T23:16:00.001-04:00

Crafty Bastards was an absolute blast this year. I got to share a booth with my friends and fellow Hello Craft ladies Kim and Liz. We were right next to the Etsy booth and right by the spectacular Make Something Awesome Area at the Hello Craft booth.

Here are a few photos from the day I stole from flickr. My booth with lots of shoppers:

Me obviously thinking super hard as I explain something to a customer:

And here are my famous "explanin' hands" in action:

Things I Love: Sept. 4 Edition

2010-09-04T12:51:00.002-04:00

I started my new job so I moved to a new desk at work. Before I was in a really large room without any private space. Now that I have a little cubicle I feel more apt to try and make the space my own.

Thus I've been stalking Ebay and Etsy for the perfect desk lamp for the past week. And I've finally found one. I can't wait until it arrives in the mail:

I also needed a new mousepad and found an Etsy seller that creates them with licensed images. This one with featuring a lovely panda from Berkley Illustration fit the bill perfectly for my new desk:

And if I had enough spare cash + wasn't worried my work neighbors would be bothered by the clanking sound I'd totally buy this USB typewriter:

Something else I am coveting and will probably end up purchasing since I need all the organization help I can get [from See Jane Work]:

Also behind me is a terrible blank white wall with the paint peeling. I've already decided the best way to cover this up without leaving any permanent marks in the walls is to go the embroidery hoop with pretty fabric way. I already do this in my apartment and it's great. Here's an example from Apartment Therapy of what I'm thinking:

Things I Love: Aug. 29 Edition

2010-08-29T10:47:00.000-04:00

If I shelled out a bunch of money this fall for new clothes I would gladly choose solely from the Dear Creatures fall lookbook. And since I am getting a sweet raise due to my new job I think this will surely happen.

This really cracks me up, as we've all had conversations using the same type of babble:
http://whatthefuckismysocialmediastrategy.com/

Everytime I go to the farmers market I end up spending all my money on fresh produce. Fall is just around the corner and the fresh veggies I have been eating all summer will soon be no more. Thus it's on my list to plan a time for canning. This tutorial from Modish rules as does the book on canning my Hello Craft pals gifted to me for my birthday.

And delighting my ears recently has been the new EP from Sufjan Stevens. Titled "All Delighted People" it is streaming here. I've been listening obsessively to it.

weekend work in progress: green open lace

2010-08-22T14:01:00.000-04:00

I've been working on an open lace pattern this weekend. Beautiful emerald merino wool gifted to me from a co-worker. She purchased it at the newly opened Looped Yarn Works.

I'm the dog that ate your birthday cake

2010-08-01T10:05:00.001-04:00

Today is a Sparklehorse type of day.

fancy knitting ladies

2010-07-28T10:01:00.000-04:00

from my Mon Tricot, KNIT & CROCHET Special "The Knitters' Basic Book". Printed in France.

The Granny Square Project: Day 35

2010-06-29T00:05:00.000-04:00

orange & gold and gold & orange.

a dozen roses

2010-06-28T00:03:00.000-04:00

dress: thrifted, $5

belt: estate sale, $2

shoes: Urban Outfitters

Look at the floral print. I LOVE this floral print. I want to wear this dress everyday.

The Granny Square Project: Day 34

2010-06-27T13:31:00.000-04:00

after a longer hiatus that I would have liked, The Granny Square Project is back :)

just a little break

2010-06-07T20:39:00.000-04:00

With my upcoming trip to Portland for the Summit of Awesome I'm taking a little break from here. I'll be with Hello Craft helping produce this amazing event as well as speaking on two panels and leading one workshop. I also plan on buying plenty of skeins of yarn and other amazing handcraft goodies at the Show of Awesome. I must remember to take plenty of pictures. This is my first trip to the West Coast and I'm super excited for this trip.

Before I go to straighten out last minute details before we leave next Monday, I want to share two very important pieces of information with one picture:

Yes I got a super cute haircut. And yes I finally found the perfect chambray shirt in my thrift travels.

The Granny Square Project: Day 33

2010-06-01T22:29:00.000-04:00

A handful of fabric scraps leftover from a skirt I made helps to create a lovely granny.

The Granny Square Project: Day 32

2010-05-31T18:33:00.002-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 31

2010-05-29T16:54:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 30

2010-05-28T23:04:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 29

2010-05-27T20:58:00.000-04:00

Made with newly purchased yarn from Woolarina at last Sunday's Handmade Mart.

The Granny Square Project: Day 28

2010-05-21T09:24:00.000-04:00

This granny is brought to you by late-morning coffee and the new album by The Black Keys. Especially this song.

The Granny Square Project: Day 27

2010-05-19T23:12:00.000-04:00

Another tiny granny, this one in pale blue embroidery floss.

The Granny Square Project: Day 26

2010-05-18T21:25:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 25

2010-05-17T21:27:00.002-04:00

Such a handsome mini granny made with emerald embroidery floss.

The Granny Square Project: Day 24

2010-05-16T20:24:00.002-04:00

Just like yesterday's granny only smaller, more pink and made with embroidery floss.

The Granny Square Project: Day 23

2010-05-15T15:16:00.000-04:00

Mini pink granny in the garden.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN

2010-05-15T10:03:00.000-04:00

I know, I know I've been virtually missing for a week. No updates and perhaps most sadly no new grannies to share with you. But the good news is I'm back and so are my granny squares!

And I probably owe an explanation of where I've been and the answer is just insanely busy. Extremely busy for happily all good reasons.

Last week (where my posting took a halt) I went up to New York City for training at Google. Yes that Google. First of all, their offices rule and I pretty much never wanted to leave. Secondly, I had to wake up before the crack of dawn to make my 4:30 a.m. train which has since really messed up my sleep schedule.

I also got to stay at the Algonquin Hotel. Anyone who knows me personally most likely knows my deep affection for Dorothy Parker so this was a real treat for me.

While in New York I slipped out and ran down to the fashion district got some cheap fabric from Paron Fabrics and some a few pretty notions from my favorite little New York shop M&J Trimmings. Then I made this amazing skirt with my new sewing machine.

Oh yeah I probably forgot to mention it was my birthday last week! A quarter of a century old. And my parents were kind enough to listen to my request and get me exactly what I wanted this kickass sewing machine.

I came back from New York and was surprised by a dozen roses and a beautiful vintage cast-iron patio set on my patio (which I type from you now) from my boyfriend. For my birthday, which also happened to be Mother's Day, we went to Shenandoah National Park to take a drive on the stunningly beautiful Skyline Drive.

We took only one short hike but were rewarded by a beautiful waterfall.

And sadly the only animal I really got to see was a deer licking the middle of the road for some weird reason.

Since all the birthday activities and my big New York trip I've been playing catch up with work at my day job and with my fun job. We've just announced the schedule for our Summit of Awesome in June and the event and the planning that goes into it is probably why I haven't lost my sanity yet.

The Granny Square Project: Day 22

2010-05-04T23:49:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 21

2010-05-03T18:52:00.000-04:00

It's a dreary, gray day here in D.C. just like this little granny.

The Granny Square Project: Day 20

2010-04-29T00:31:00.002-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 19

2010-04-29T00:30:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 18

2010-04-26T22:37:00.002-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 17

2010-04-25T11:12:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 16

2010-04-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

Getting a little holey in here.

The Granny Square Project: Day 15

2010-04-22T21:48:00.002-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 14

2010-04-21T22:05:00.000-04:00

I messed up one the edges because I was probably paying more attention to the show about finding the perfect breed of dog, than I was on this granny. But it made a nice rounded edge on the lower left-hand corner I'm really digging right now.

The Meaning of Making

2010-04-20T23:11:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow night is The Meaning of Making -- a drop-in craft social with Hello Craft's Make Something Awesome area followed by a panel. It's part of CraftweekDC and presented by the awesome folks at Civilian Art Projects and Washington Project for the Arts.

I'll be speaking on the panel with other amazing members of DC's handmade community.

I'm not going to lie, I am starting to get a little nervous. This one time in high school I had to give a public speech and after I was finished my teacher said he wasn't sure if he should clap or call the school nurse because I didn't take a breath for about 4 minutes straight. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen again.

The Granny Square Project: Day 13

2010-04-20T11:10:00.000-04:00

pink & purple super spring edition

The Granny Square Project: Day 12

2010-04-19T07:41:00.000-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 11

2010-04-17T09:28:00.000-04:00

Part of a larger series I've been working on. This to be exact:

The Granny Square Project: Day 10

2010-04-17T09:24:00.000-04:00

I'm in love with these one. I wish I had a dress that incorporated these colors.

The Granny Square Project: Day 9

2010-04-15T20:13:00.000-04:00

inspired from the beautiful sunset we got to experience tonight

oh hello, vacation

2010-04-15T13:40:00.000-04:00

I took some time off work for a mini vacation. Just driving to Cape May to visit our parents. Yes my boyfriend's parents now have a house about 15 minutes from my parents. It's crazy awesome, especially the view of the beach.

I'm looking forward to getting a little work done in a bit, with the view of the water spanning out behind my laptop.

The Granny Square Project: Day 8

2010-04-14T18:19:00.002-04:00

The Granny Square Project: Day 7

2010-04-13T20:33:00.002-04:00

I love me some purple.

The Granny Square Project: Day 6

2010-04-12T23:51:00.000-04:00

I love the colors on this granny.

The Granny Square Project: Day 5

2010-04-11T23:20:00.000-04:00

Today was our first BBQ of many to come this year. This granny is in honor of what we had for dinner. Green for asparagus (my favorite veggie to grill). Brown for the expensive filet mignon. White for the onions and roasted garlic. Delish !

The Granny Square Project: Day 4

2010-04-10T11:31:00.000-04:00

Grey yarn, obtained in a stash swap in Boston. Teal and white yarn thrifted in Boston. VHS tape thrifted in Maryland, was once "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which you might remember from here.

The Granny Square Project: Day 3

2010-04-09T18:26:00.000-04:00

I think the best part about this granny is the purple yarn. It came from an awesome skein I thrifted that has a kitty playing with a ball of yarn that is bigger than the kitty itself.

The Granny Square Project: Day 2

2010-04-08T20:04:00.000-04:00

After I finished I was told if it were not for the pink, this one would look like a Mets Baseball Granny.

The Granny Square Project: Day 1

2010-04-07T15:20:00.001-04:00

So in efforts to force myself to take a break each day I've decided to create one granny each day, for a year. I know that's mighty ambitious but I think it can be done.

Here's Day 1:

The pastel pink is pretty Easter fabulous and the center brown and fuzzy blue is some of the softest fiber I have in my stash. I think the brown might actually be cashmere from a thrifting find from when I still lived in Boston.

Finally Finished: Granny Square Pillow

2010-04-03T18:44:00.000-04:00

You know when you work on a big project for a while and it feels like it will never be done? That's how I've been feeling about the granny square pillow I started about a month ago. I was feeling really defeated when I realized last weekend I was going to run out of a specific color of yarn for the project. I thought I had enough in the skein when I started but I was wrong. I've always read those warnings in my patterns and on the backs of skeins and it finally happened to me. But I survived with a few grannies that had to be all one color

Grannies aren't that difficult to make and it really only took 32 for this pillow, but with new projects and work it was difficult to just get it finished. But recently I buckled down and started really working on it. I brought it to Knitting Avengers and I tried to crochet a few a night.

Now I'm excited to finally report the bluish granny square pillow is finally complete!

side 1:

side 2:

Maganda Design now available at Smash Records

2010-04-03T10:24:00.002-04:00

My little handknit necklaces are now available for sale at Smash in Adams Morgan. I suggest you visit ASAP to grab some Maganda Design goodness as well as buy records, vintage clothing and support some local designers like b-kao and Daisy Lacy.

Here's one of my first necklaces and favorites in all its glory on display at Smash:

Philadelphia I Love You

2010-03-22T08:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to visit Philadelphia. I miss it so much. We had to shove so much into only one day including cheesesteaks and buying records at AKA Music and visiting Art Star and perusing vintage clothing and admiring used books. Exhausting but obviously worth it.

rainy rainy weekend

2010-03-12T20:29:00.008-05:00

As far as I can tell it's going to rain ALL weekend. I guess that means I'll have plenty of time hanging around the apartment to catch up on some work.

I can't be that gloomy about the rain as I'm excited for all the flowers and vegetation about to bloom as a result of it.

photo from courtesy of weheartit

photo courtesy of weheartit

photo courtesy of weheartit

photo courtesy of weheartit

photo courtesy weheartit

from vhs tape, to granny coaster

2010-03-02T22:47:00.005-05:00

A friend sent me this post about reusing VHS tapes. On Sunday I thrifted "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" for a little under a buck and after pulling out a screwdriver I got to crocheting.

I made this little coaster which I'm really digging because sometimes at work I drink cold water that gets kind of sweaty. I the VHS tape will prevent the pretty fabric from getting damp and destroyed over time.

one giant granny square

2010-02-27T15:24:00.008-05:00

I've been practicing my crochet skills to make a present for D.J.'s aunt. She was nice (and patient) enough to teach me how to crochet over the holidays.

All my tiny granny squares have formed one giant granny square. It's pretty big now. I can't even imagine trying to make something like a blanket if it took me days to get this far:

What I'm making is a tiny pillow. Actually a cover to the blue pillow below:

My little discard pile of leftover yarn:

so many granny squares

2010-02-26T18:52:00.001-05:00

and so many more to make...

newish

2010-02-26T09:21:00.003-05:00

warmy cowl & glasses

revolt revolt !

2010-02-22T10:07:00.002-05:00

A little Monday inspiration to get you through your week.

(brought to you from my newly acquired Fall-Winter 1968-69 copy of McCall's)

thrifting finds: $25 bucks gets you so many fantastic goodies

2010-02-21T20:00:00.005-05:00

Now that my boyfriend has Sundays off we have been scheming about weekly adventures. We decided that today would be the day to find the nearest WaWa which is the greatest convenience store on the East coast in our opinions. Unfortunately they are only in certain parts of the Northeast which means the nearest one is about 45 minutes from the D.C. metro area.

Thus I planned a few spots around our WaWa adventure. The first was an estate sale in Silver Spring. After reading the description on Craigslist that the woman was an avid knitter, there was no way I could pass it up. The yarn was sadly picked over and although there were tons of half-finished projects (like amazing sweaters) I couldn't bring myself to buy any since I felt kind of weird finishing projects someone had already put so much time into. It would be cheating.

After we left the estate sale we continued on to WaWa, and ate insanely large Italian hoagies in about 2 minutes (no we probably didn't even taste them). Then I convinced D.J. to make another stop at a vintage store. We only had a few minutes before it closed, but D.J. scored some random vinyl for cheap like Paul McCartney plus I got a map of every antique store in MD, DE, DC.

Basically I scored a few awesome finds in a short amount of time today plus got to visit WaWa:

fun fabrics:

a copy of McCalls dated Fall-Winter 1968-69:

a pamphlet of crochet patterns including this one of a dress for a hot babe:

a new little purse, a tiny suitcase which I have refurbishing plans for and a tiny tin:

and a smith-corona coronet electric 12 for $5. I love the wonderful humming it made as soon as I turned it on:

oh hello, hello craft

2010-02-06T15:51:00.003-05:00

I started contributing to Hello Craft which I am very very excited about. It's really nice to help an organization I believe in, not to mention run by really awesome ladies.

You can read my first blog post (a book review geared towards part-time crafters) here: http://www.hellocraft.com/2010/02/book-review-crafty-superstar-by-grace-dobush/

thrifting finds: the most perfect cape

2010-02-05T19:45:00.005-05:00

I took a few days off and am spending a long weekend my parent's house in southern New Jersey. Before we all the snow really started to come down, I convinced everyone to make a trip to a nearby thrift store. My mom started to nag me to leave and that's when I found the most amazing cape. It's a navy blue, with gold buttons and the most beautiful red liner.

The pictures below don't start to do it justice. It's going to make a perfect spring jacket.

inspiration from the past: August 23, 1994

2010-01-31T21:28:00.011-05:00

In just a few months I'll be 25, a quarter of a century old. Lately I've been wondering what exactly it was I wanted to be when I grew up. I'm not sure if I knew as a little girl or if I even know now. But I do know it's really easy to get disillusioned and lose track of what's important in life: being happy and staying inspired.

When I need inspiration for some reason I turn to the diaries I wrote as a little girl. I've decided to share some with you from time to time just in case you need some inspiration as well.

second mix of 2k10

2010-01-30T16:16:00.002-05:00

I made this mix for a fellow Knitting Avenger. She was looking to burn some leftover holiday money. I figured if I included bands who full discography I suggest she invest in, then this mix would serve a purpose plus be awesome.

01 "Fire Eye'd Boy" - Broken Social Scene
02 "A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left" - Andrew Bird
03 "Parentheses" - Blow
04 "Silver Soul" - Beach House
05 "Blue Corolla" - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
06 "Elevator Love Letter" - Stars
07 "Natural's Not In It" - Gang of Four
08 "Fast Blood" - Frightened Rabbit
09 "Oh Christine" - The Cave Singers
10 "It's Gonna Take An Airplane" - Destroyer
11 "True Love Will Find You In The End" - Daniel Johnston
12 "What's A Girl To Do" - Bat For Lashes
13 "Turtles Have Short Legs" - CAN

Cold Weather Blues

2010-01-30T15:31:00.006-05:00

My coworker needed something to keep her neck warm but had a few conflicts. First of all she doesn't like wearing anything too tight along her neckline. Secondly she often walks her dog in the woods and wanted something to let any hunters know she's not something to be hunted. I decided the solution was a huge cowl. It was knit in a simple seed stitch on size 15 needles.

I gave it a test drive in today's snowy weather and I'm already thinking of making another for myself.

gocco project: we moved notes

2010-01-13T22:23:00.003-05:00

We finally moved to our darling apartment in Mt. Pleasant and I made some little moving notes to mail out to our friends. This was my first solo gocco project and I think they came out really great.

Below are pictures of how I turned our new kitchen upside down to make it happen. Please ignore my weirdo outfit which is a mix of referee tank top + old lacrosse shorts + my tiny crafting apron.

thrifting finds: pink sparkly dress

2010-01-11T23:20:00.004-05:00

Yesterday after a quick thrifting sesh doomed for failure (I left my wallet at home & I felt anxious because of that) I found the most beautiful dress.

There's a long pink skirt that could probably use some hemming. And the top is gold (over some pink). The top looks a little like a gold lame. It's very eye catching and I'm looking forward to wear it out on the next special occasion.

So sparkly and wonderful:

first mix of 2k10

2010-01-03T22:29:00.002-05:00

I made this for my coworker. Also known as a good mix to turn up loud to pump oneself up for a long day at work.

01 "The Rat" - Walkmen
02 "Girls & Boys" - Blur
03 "Yucatan Gold" - Throw Me The Statue
04 "Marrow" - St. Vincent
05 "Human Fly" - Cramps
06 "Help I'm Alive" - Metric
07 "Looking For Astronauts" - The National
08 "There Are Listed Buildings" - Los Campesinos!
09 "Devil Town" - Daniel Johnston
10 "Love Will Come Through" - Travis
11 "Edit" - Regina Spektor
12 "The New Romance" - Pretty Girls Make Graves
13 "Still In Love Song" - The Stills
14 "Rest Your Head" - The Wrens
15 "When I Argue I See Shapes" - Idlewild
16 "Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pickups

presents in the form of vintage Pyrex

2010-01-02T11:20:00.011-05:00

et of gold teacups (and my crocheted/knit coasters)

close-up of the butterfly/flower pattern (I found 4 of these for $2!)

a simple flower pattern server (okay this is actually Pyr-o-Rey):

winter-themed snowflake server (with 2 partitions):

close-up of the snowflake pattern:

one of my favorite finds, a pyrex butterdish:

and one of my most expensive purchases, a set of mixing bowls:

the patterns absolutely rule:

Christmas Is Going to the Dogs

2009-12-29T09:58:00.012-05:00

This was basically the best wintry holiday I've had in a long time. To sum up my obnoxious levels of holiday cheer & fun see below for a series of pictures of myself and my boyfriend's dog, a lovable but huge Old English Sheepdog.

This is how I spent Christmas morning, getting mucho love from the dog. And for an extra dose of holiday cheer at the bottom of post: a video of the dog opening her Christmas present.

Bonus video:

Maganda Design at Handmade Mart's Holiday Shop-N-Stroll

2009-12-06T16:30:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I trudged out into the rain (that later turned to snow) for Handmade Mart's Holiday Shop-N-Stroll with Emily & Susan of imoM. By the end I couldn't feel my fingers really well but it was worth it. I made a few sales I wouldn't have otherwise, got some nice comments on the feathers I'd been collecting for a while and was offered a few consignment opportunities. Here are some pictures I managed to take despite the loss of feeling of my hands.

beautiful feather headpieces:

more booth set-up, lots of magnet sets:

Suz of imoM:

imoM setup:

afternoon tea

2009-11-29T21:20:00.006-05:00

I was invited to afternoon tea -- my first since moving to D.C. This means I am making friends here plus it means a morning of stressing on what to wear. After ripping through my closet I made a decision. Nothing too TOO fancy, but still appropriate.

Grey sheath dress thrifted.
White lace slip thrifted.
Purse special discount from the owner of Porch in Boston.
Shoes Steve Madden.
Flower pin originally a bridesmaid hairpiece from a friend's wedding this summer.
Orange cape thrifted (below).

And a little present (a magnet set upcycled from a silk scarf) for the wonderful hostess:

Maganda Design Q&A on Handmade Mart

2009-11-22T22:26:00.003-05:00

Check out the Maganda Design vendor Q&A on the Handmade Mart site: http://handmademart.blogspot.com/2009/11/vendor-q-with-maganda-design.html

I love holiday sales

2009-11-22T10:31:00.009-05:00

While looking over my Twitter feed and sipping Sunday coffee I saw a wonderful update from Craft:

Whoa, 35% off plus FREE shipping and handling? Family, IRL friends and internerd friends this is fantastic. (Plus a cheap way to pick up presents for ME and others on your holiday shopping list)

There are more than a few books I'd love to add to my collection from Chronicle:

The Hand Book of Artistic Printing

Hot Type

Reprodepot Pattern Book: Folk (to add to my other floral book)

More Things Like This

Embroidered Effects

Penny Saving Household Helper

The Printmaking Bible

Typeface

one of my favorite shirts

2009-11-09T20:53:00.003-05:00

While cleaning up in preparation for the big move I came across one of my favorite shirts. I thought I'd share it with you. It's a little bit of happiness captured on a tiny canvas of cotton and it makes me smile every time I wear it. Honestly who doesn't love a lobster that knits?

Dressing Up the New Gadget

2009-11-01T20:21:00.002-05:00

D.J. and I recently got iPhones and I feel like we're both attached at hip to them. I think it's a normal obsession, but I just stumbled upon an amazing collection of wallpaper to dress up my new gadget. It's the Desktop Wallpaper Project via Kitsune Noir.

This is my new iPhone wallpaper and I'm positive I'll change it again in a few days:

How many times can you change the wallpaper without wondering you have an unhealthy obsession?

Maganda Design at Handmade Mart on Dec. 5

2009-10-31T12:03:00.002-04:00

If you live in the District please mark your calendars now and plan on visiting Maganda Design at Handmade Mart's Holiday Shop-N-Stroll. It's taking place on December 5 in downtown Silver Spring, MD from 10 am to 3 pm.

I'll be sharing a booth with Susan & Emily of imoM and I guarantee it will be a fun time.

new craft hardware: graphic punch

2009-10-07T10:47:00.002-04:00

After tallying up my total earned from Crafty Bastards, I have purchased a graphic punch:

My hands (and blisters on my hands cutting out a million tiny circles) are really excited.

Maganda Design at Crafty Bastards

2009-10-04T13:37:00.007-04:00

I'm proud to say my first Crafty Bastards was a smashing success! It was awesome to interact with shoppers face to face and I had a great time sharing a booth with Susan and Emily.

I want to thank everyone that stopped by my booth. Photos from yesterday are below:

My crafting partner in crime for the day (as well as real life partner):

Not even halfway through the show I completely sold out of my feather headpieces.

magnet sets!

chainlink knit necklaces:

shoppers:

scarflette display:

more shopping at Maganda Design booth:

more display set-up:

Crafty Bastards Preview

2009-09-24T10:44:00.000-04:00

Crafty Bastards is right around the corner. This is my first time at Crafty and I'm nervous and excited. I've been busy at work and will probably be crafting until the night before.

I wanted to share a preview of what I'll have at this year's fair. If you like what you see, please vote for me as Craftiest Bastard here.

All photos were taken by my friend Rachel Carrier who is an amazing photographer. Please visit more of her work at her flickr.

a bit of luck for you

2009-09-16T23:45:00.004-04:00

With Crafty Bastards quickly approaching, I've been working on a special edition of pinback button/magnet sets using found 4-leaf clovers.

My little sister graciously devoted time this weekend to help find them in Cape May, NJ.

Then I sent them through a special process of pressing and then sealing them before they were pressed with my trusty button maker.

labor day weekend thrifting finds

2009-09-07T11:22:00.009-04:00

There are two stellar thrift stores I visit on a weekly basis in suburban Maryland. There's the Unique chain (which absolutely rocks if you don't mind digging through piles of junk to find something good) and there's Wagging Tales. The latter is where we went on Saturday and I call it my ol' lady shop cause it is where I stock up on crafting supplies, kitchen ware and other ol' lady necessities.

I scored some cheap finds including...

Record for $1 featuring Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne & Sarah Vaughan:

Glass jars for $2 each:

Tool boxes to hold my random crafting junk $3 each:

Lots of wool yarn for under $10 for the lot of it:

And speaking of wool yarn, it's absolutely perfect for my latest venture with felting and jewelry I am preparing for Crafty Bastards :)

early morning crafting

2009-09-05T10:04:00.004-04:00

I was up early on this long weekend and decided to get some quality craft time in with my button maker. I finished some new magnet sets I'm really excited about.

Katharine Hepburn:

Ferris Bueller's Day Off:

$$ from Honduras in Red:

$$ from Honduras in Purple:

$$ from Honduras in Brown:

a gift for the newlyweds

2009-09-01T22:10:00.002-04:00

This weekend I attended the lovely wedding of Moni & JT. I made them a wonderful present for their home.

A wall hanging for push pins made from a vintage frame and wine corks.

I kind of want to make one for my house now.

new piece: chain link in pretzel

2009-08-25T08:33:00.001-04:00

I've been busy crafting away in the chain link theme and I wanted to give you a sneak peek of the new necklace I've been working on:

I think it sort of resembles a pretzel, the way the chains interlock with each other. I couldn't help but add the white ceramic flower to finish it off.

wedding time

2009-08-24T23:24:00.006-04:00

In just a few days I leave for vacation. I'm going up to Maine to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of my dear friends Moni & JT.

The dress is now hemmed and the fancy shoes have been purchased.

Now it's time to get up to Maine and let the celebrating of love begin...

Baltimore baby, Baltimore

2009-08-23T13:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I made an excursion up to Baltimore for the day with my gal pal Becca. We were going up mainly for the Hello Craft field trip to visit the workspace of Biggs and Featherbelle.

We learned how they run their amazing health conscious company that makes wonderful smelling soaps, bath soaks, lip balms and more. After the tour we were given materials to make our own body scrub.

Becca snapped this photo of our finished products:

After the tour, we headed over to the Hampden area and met up with 2 of Becca's friends. We were lucky to be getting a tour of Baltimore from two folks that absolutely adore their city. We dug through some vintage clothes and had a delicious lunch at Golden West Cafe.

We then trekked over to Atomic Books where I picked up an amazing pattern book from Repro Depot. I didn't even know this book existed and now that I am 225 vintage-inspired patterns richer, I am all the happier.

Next we took a field trip out to The Book Thing which is basically the best thing I've experienced in the past month. Its a combination of my old secondhand stomping grounds of the basement of The Harvard Bookstore and the basement store in the Wheaton Library. ONLY FREE. Yes free. Obviously you'll have to dig through a whole mess to find something that intrests you. But with Crafty Bastards around the corner (my vendor page here), I need all the imagery I can find to inspire my pins and magnet sets.

The night ended with pie and coffee and board games, a way most nights should end.

Crafty Bastards 2009 Vendors

2009-08-23T09:44:00.002-04:00

The 2009 vendors for this year's Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts fair have been announced. See it here.

chain link in yellow

2009-08-19T23:25:00.003-04:00

Approximately 10 feet of chain with a beautiful antique brass finish arrived today courtesy of akaLulaBeads and I've already made a new chain link necklace:

If I keep falling in love with everything I make, it's going to be a sad day when Crafty Bastards comes and I'll have to part ways with them.

a newspaper life for me

2009-08-16T09:56:00.010-04:00

I have just realized it is almost the five month anniversary of my new job. Normally I don't get all sentimental but this also celebrates the fact that I made a big move from Boston to DC with my boyfriend just a few months ago as well. We had no set plan at all and everything turned out perfectly okay. Although I don't recommend anyone quit their job and move to a new place without something lined up in this economy, if I had to go back in time I'd do it again.

So to celebrate, I've picked out some of my favorite newspaper-inspired Etsy finds.

♥ a fanciful petticoat skirt made from real vintage fabric newspaper [seller: malam / link]

♥ upcycled purse made from newspaper delivery bags [seller: blueskybags / link]

♥ bowl made of recycled newspaper [seller: urbanwoodswalker / link]

♥ half fold wallet [seller: kelsodoesntdance / link]

♥ newspaper and resin ring [seller: RainaLeeStudios / link]

♥ handknit scarf in newspaper greyscale [seller: trishafern / link]

♥ cartoon clutch [seller: onewomanstudio / link]

♥ tote bag in New York Times print [seller: Ruthscrafts / link]

♥ biodegradable plant starters [seller: spellitout / link]

♥ JFK headline earrings [seller: LookingGlassJewerly / link]

chain link fun

2009-08-15T15:58:00.000-04:00

With Crafty Bastards quickly approaching I've been devoting more and more time to developing product for the show. The latest is a darling line of knit chain link necklaces.

They are so light, I don't even feel like I'm wearing anything!

Maganda Design

Unfinished grannies. Part of a massive blanket I'm crocheting

Getting a little early morning sewing done

decorating my apartment: diy garland from children's books

Under $5 Thrift Finds: Kitchen Art

Under $5 Thrift Finds: Golden Hands

Under $5 Thrift Finds: Knit Magic

maybe print is not dead

Under $5 Thrift Finds

Happy fall ya'll

This may be very bad for my purse

My Dayjob Workspace

hello deer

Maganda Design at Crafty Bastards

Things I Love: Sept. 4 Edition

Things I Love: Aug. 29 Edition

weekend work in progress: green open lace

I'm the dog that ate your birthday cake

fancy knitting ladies

The Granny Square Project: Day 35

a dozen roses

The Granny Square Project: Day 34

just a little break

The Granny Square Project: Day 33

The Granny Square Project: Day 32

The Granny Square Project: Day 31

The Granny Square Project: Day 30

The Granny Square Project: Day 29

The Granny Square Project: Day 28

The Granny Square Project: Day 27

The Granny Square Project: Day 26

The Granny Square Project: Day 25

The Granny Square Project: Day 24

The Granny Square Project: Day 23

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN

The Granny Square Project: Day 22

The Granny Square Project: Day 21

The Granny Square Project: Day 20

The Granny Square Project: Day 19

The Granny Square Project: Day 18

The Granny Square Project: Day 17

The Granny Square Project: Day 16

The Granny Square Project: Day 15

The Granny Square Project: Day 14

The Meaning of Making

The Granny Square Project: Day 13

The Granny Square Project: Day 12

The Granny Square Project: Day 11

The Granny Square Project: Day 10

The Granny Square Project: Day 9

oh hello, vacation

The Granny Square Project: Day 8

The Granny Square Project: Day 7

The Granny Square Project: Day 6

The Granny Square Project: Day 5

The Granny Square Project: Day 4

The Granny Square Project: Day 3

The Granny Square Project: Day 2

The Granny Square Project: Day 1

Finally Finished: Granny Square Pillow

Maganda Design now available at Smash Records

Philadelphia I Love You

rainy rainy weekend

more than ready for spring

from vhs tape, to granny coaster

one giant granny square

so many granny squares

newish

revolt revolt !

thrifting finds: $25 bucks gets you so many fantastic goodies

oh hello, hello craft

thrifting finds: the most perfect cape

inspiration from the past: August 23, 1994

second mix of 2k10

Cold Weather Blues

gocco project: we moved notes

thrifting finds: pink sparkly dress

first mix of 2k10

presents in the form of vintage Pyrex

Christmas Is Going to the Dogs