A Fitting Tribute

Well, this is it, folks! Hold on to your hats because it's gonna be a bumpy ride! Well ok, maybe not. But it is New Year's Eve and anything can happen... and probably will! I'm nestled all snug in my house this evening content to be working on projects and watching TCM's Putting on the Ritz Night with Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers.

You can betcha my Grammy would be sitting in her red vinyl easy chair, magazine in one hand and glasses in the other, blanket over her legs, TV tuned to TCM to watch Fred and Ginger, and doing her best not to nod off in between dance numbers. That's exactly what she'd be doing tonight. And right now, instead of paying attention to the glamour and gaiety on the TV screen in front of me, I am really missing my Grandmother. It seems that I miss her more around this time of year than any other. Maybe its because I spent so many happy Christmases at her home, which was always decorated to the hilt, and for the last couple of years we haven't been able to go there because she's gone. She passed away in October of 2005 just two weeks before my brother, Ryan, married Karen my wonderful sister-in-law.

I'm thinking of her tonight because, in between movies, I saw a beautiful tribute to those people in the movie industry that passed away this year called "TCM Remembers 2007". They use a beautiful song called "Promises" by Badly Drawn Boy. Some of the more notable names are Deborah Kerr, Jane Wyman, and Betty Hutton. They were also three of my Grammy's favorites. I can just picture her up there in Heaven sitting with those three ladies she just idolized, chatting away about movies, and Grammy just sitting there enthralled and star struck. Here's a picture of my very own glamorous Grammy with her apron... heels... earrings... cooking in the kitchen.

I want to share that Tribute with you, too. I hope you enjoy it and that wherever you are, if you have the opportunity, call your loved ones and tell them you love them. If you're with your loved ones, give them a big hug and a kiss. Don't forget to make good memories while you can because you never know when those opportunities will be gone.

Have a safe, charming and Happy New Year!

My little Christmas gift to you

Here's my little Christmas gift to you. I hope you all are having a wonderful time making memories with your families or wherever you may be. Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a charming New Year!

I can't wait for my Birthday!

Ok, so my birthday isn't until March, but I've just found 2 reasons to be anxious for its arrival! First of all Mom, Annie of SimpleArts fame, is having a Retreat that weekend and you can bet your sweet bippies that I'll be there! 4 days of uninterrupted sewing at Camp Ocean Pines... delovely! And I just found the trailer for Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day on the Apple Trailers website and it opens on March 7th (my Offical Birthday Weekend). It stars Amy Adams from Enchanted, Frances McDormand from Fargo, and Lee Pace from Pushing Daisies!! I just adore Lee Pace! You can watch the trailer and be absolutely charmed here.

Santa's Workshop and Unexpected Gifts

So yours truly has been working very hard indeed to finish up some last minute Christmas gifties. For some reason these ones always turn out to be the best. Maybe it's because you're making snap decisions and you don't have time to second guess yourself when really the first thing you picked up was the right thing to begin with. Maybe it's because there's no time like the last minute! I swear I should join Procrastinators Anonymous.

I've been working on some PJs, a tote or two and some wallets I'm giving as gifts to family and friends. Here is a picture of my current workspace. You can see the pieces of one of the totes I've started but have not yet finished. (This post is a product of my procrastination, by the way.)



I'm using Penny Sturges' Weekender Tote pattern and it is going together lickety-split! I am loving the decorator weight fabrics I'm using and I'm wondering if I need to make myself one out some fun funky little Japanese print.

So as I was sitting and working on this project when Mom comes in from running errands and she's got a big brown package in her arms.


Guess what it was!



It's the journal I ordered from Lizzy! She talked about it on her blog before she sent it off. I was ecstatic about it then, but now that I see it, I might not give it away! But that would be wrong, wouldn't it?



I was a little surprised to see that there was something in there with my name on it, too. There was this cute little guy on the front of the wrapping...




And this little guy on the inside!



When I first saw these charming little frogs Lizzy made for another journal I was so jealous! When Froggy's mug peeked out at me from behind the wrapping I was grinning from ear to ear. My very own frog! But wait, not one, but two! I just love these guys! And if there's anything a princess really needs in life it's her own frog.

You know...

Just in case.

HollyBlog comes to Funky Charming!

I am so excited that I can finally tell you about the super secret project I talked about that had Super Piper the Wonder Puppy climbing the walls for days. Yay!

It all started back before Fall Market when Holly Holderman, owner of LakeHouse Dry Goods (not of my Daiso Japan fame - different Holly) got some awesome-ly cute Pooh Bears for her booth. Then the idea came to have her LakeHouse quilt designers make cute little bibs with letters on them spelling out "LakeHouse." It was super cute to say the least. Annie's bear is Sugar, second from the end. Isn't she adorable?



So, along with this task one of my favorite people, Cherri House of Cherry House Quilts, made a cute little quilt to go with her bear and that was the catalyst for Holly's "12 Bears of Christmas" Project. Back near the beginning of November Holly sent out the call to the designers of the bibs to make a cute little quilt to go with their bears and then these bears would be donated to a Charity - to be announced on Christmas Eve. When Annie told me about this I was really wishing that I could be the one to make the quilt. But at that point she had everything under control. Robin's Birthday/Thanksgiving hadn't come yet which also meant that it wasn't time to start packing to go to the Bernina Teachers Reunion being held in Chicago the weekend after Turkey Day. But as time went on, and she was having some other projects to finish up, the task of making the quilt was given to me. I was ecstatic! The day before she left for Chicago I started working on the quilt having absolutely no idea what it was I was going to do. Then the thought hit me: How cute would the LakeHouse fabrics look done crazy quilt style?! I had my idea.


So I started with this crazy quilt idea and it was coming along as best as it could with me never having made a crazy quilt before. I was just adding fabrics here and there with the constant hope that there wouldn't be a gaping hole in the middle of it when I was finished. Well, I got the top done and I even quilted it myself with a simple little stitch-in-the-ditch. I was so dang proud of this puppy and here's how it turned out.







I was having problems getting a clear picture to Holly where the green didn't show up as black and by that time Mom had come back from Chicago. It had also given me time to think about the completeness of my quilt. I was beginning to not like the finished product because it didn't seem very "LakeHouse" to me. So Mom got out the project she had taken with her to distract her while flying (she hates flying) and stuck two little hearts on the quilt. That softened it up right away. Then I decided to add ric rac to the hearts...


And then I took the binding off to put the ric rac on the border and added the ruffled edge. Now this screamed "LakeHouse" to me and I was even more thrilled than before.






And here is the finished product. Just charming, right? I think so, too.


Make sure to check out the rest of Holly's "12 Bears of Christmas" especially on Christmas Eve to find out where these precious little girlies are going!

Finally

Ok, so I know its been a while since I last posted anything but I'm making up for that now starting with Daiso Japan! Buckle up, kiddies! This is going to be a long post...

First of all this place is right off of 280 in between the San Francisco International Airport and San Francisco itself. The ride up is really nice from San Jose since you take 280, and in my humble opinion, it is one of the nicest and most scenic highways in the Bay Area. So, anyway, its just off the highway and you couldn't mis it even if you wanted to. It's a big brown box building with beg red letters letting you know you've reached DAISO JAPAN! and the white flowers are nice touch, too.

The best thing about this place is EVERYTHING is $1.50. There are some things that are a little more expensive but I seriously didn't see anything that was over $10. I think Holly and I got out of there with spending just about $60 a piece on about 30-35 items each. We were very proud of ourselves. Once you've gone through the checkout they put your items back into your over-sized pink (!) basket for you to take over to a station they have so that you can bag and wrap your own order. This place is a well oiled machine. And I think they have to be! When we first got to the shop there was maybe 15 people in the shop but when we left (2 hours later!) it was close to swarming but still not cramped.

So Holly and I walk in and we stop dead in our tracks. As soon as you walk in the door it is just a sensory overload with all of the things they have on shelves. Now even if you had never seen the look on a deer's face when it it sees headlights coming dead on, you would have immediately known what impression we were doing, it was just that good. I think we even looked at each other after a moment and said "Where do we start?" We decided to split up and do our own thing. Very smart. Divide and conquer. Holly went straight ahead because she could see stationary and I went to the left where the Christmas and knick-knacky things were.

I spent the majority of my time in the first third of the store just because there was so much to see. And oh-my-goodness how incredibly cute everything is! Even the most utilitarian of things, like a plastic zippered pouch, was charming. I felt like I had died and gone to Cracked-up Hello Kitty Heaven! Seriously folks, if you're in town, or if you've got a long layover at SFO, seriously consider hopping in a car or hailing a cab and taking a trip to this place. They've got stuff there you never even knew you wanted.

Here's a picture of what I came away with. Some of this is Christmas presents, some of this is because it was just to cute to stay on the shelves!

My favorite things I came home with are:
1. Origami Cake Folding Paper - it even has tongs! This is obviously not a Christmas gift simply because it's just too cute to give away!
2. My felt hedgehog and birdie picture frames - They're going up on the wall sans pictures. They're cute enough as it is.
3. My cute little "He went to the flower shop" piggy bank. All four sides have a scene on it and I think I just might have to use it as some quilty inspiration!
4. My cute little blue and yellow lunch box. Now, realistically, I would have to have two of these to take my lunch in because I am not at all about the small portions even though I should be. But I will be using this as some kind of quilty organizer.

Well, that's my report on Daiso. After going up to Daly City I looked on the web and found out there was one not 10 miles down the road at one of the nearby Malls. I think I need some more presents... for myself! This could be oh-so-dangerous!

And now for a sneak peek of what's coming tomorrow. I think you're going to enjoy it!
Have a charming day!

Faith in America

This is why I will be voting for Mitt Romney for President in the 2008 elections.

"I Has Sweet Potatoes"

So there's this one blog I read religiously. Heather Armstrong is the author and it's called Dooce. It's not the most reverent blog ever created about the joys of motherhood but that's why I like it. She talks about her husband Jon, her daughter Leta, and her seriously neurotic dog Chuck. This dog can balance small kitchen appliances on his head and he loves it. Go take a look at her blog. It's hilarious.

As I was looking through her blog the other day I came across a post titled "I Has Sweet Potatoes." I have to admit I was hooked. I followed the link she had posted and I found this. A narrative about a guy trying to keep his dog from gnawing on sweet potatoes. Too, too funny! Just a warning for those who read it, there is an F-Bomb at the beginning and the end, but none in the narrative itself.

Here's a little present I found while searching for a picture of Chuck so you could see his cute little mug. I think it's just charming!

P.S.

Go and see Enchanted if you haven't already. It's light and upbeat, the singing's not annoying and there's a healthy dose of romanticism and chivalry as well. It's the perfect antidote to the Christmas Shopping Binge!

Did someone say "adventure?"...

Yes they did and its a good thing, too. I am so in need of an adventure! Mom's gone to Bernina in Chicago with Sue Nickels, Dad has work, Robin has school and I'm at home with Super Piper the Wonder Puppy and all she does is sleep all day. Not much fun but that's absolutely my fault. I've been working on a project for the last 2 days while catching up on my Project Runway and movies I've DVR'd from TCM and I've been no fun for her, either, hence the exorbitant amount of sleep she's been getting. That's where Holly comes in.

Thanks heavens for Holly! She called on Tuesday night - before my two day project overdose (more on that later) - and called to see if I wanted to go and explore the Daiso Japan shop with her today. My answer: "Heck yes!" I am more than excited to go and check out this shop I've heard so much about from the lovely PamKittyMorning. When I met Pam at Market in Utah she was introduced to me with the post script of "You know, PamKittyMorning... Pam. Kitty. Morning. (expectant pause) The one who told us about Daiso Japan!" And then it clicked. Pam is so much fun to observe and be around because she is such a kick in the pants! She described Daiso to us as a "crack house for Hello Kitty Lovers." And that's high praise coming from this lady! Make sure to check out her blog and her thoughts on Daiso Japan. I'll be back with my full report Saturday morning!

Have a charming Friday!

Many Happy Returns, Little Brother...

Today is the day my little brother, Robin, turns 16... 16! Robin and I usually celebrate this day by pulling him out of school. Hey, he got me out of school the day he was born so I figured returning the favor once a year is the least I can do. Usually we'd be going to go see the newest Harry Potter flick. I pull him out of school, we stand in line for the first showing of the day, and we sneak food in. (Which is actually nothing compared to what my girlfriends and I sneak in. Coldstone, anyone?) But since it was released during the summer this year we have had to find another option. And that has yet to be discovered. Maybe sushi, maybe a different movie. I did, however, make him a cake today. From scratch. Including the icing. I absolutely love this boy.

Oops!

I didn't realize that it had been 4 days since I last posted anything. Things have been so busy here at the studio that I've barely had time to come up for air! But it was so nice last night to be able to sit and do nothing while I watched Pushing Daisies. Such a cute show! And Lee Pace and Anna Friel make it so easy to watch the show as Jim Dale - of Harry Potter audio book fame - narrates. If you haven't taken the time to peek at it, well, I think you should. It's the best hour on TV this season.



I'm off to lunch with Annie and Holly of Eat Cake Graphics. Check her out, too! We're doing a podcast while we eat! Pictures to come!

Hope you all have a charming afternoon!

"Yes... A Thousand Times Yes..."

You might not think that Pride & Prejudice has much to do with Quilt Market. Well, you would be wrong. I never travel without my Lappy, I always make sure my DVD arsenal is well stocked, and that means having P&P on hand. We (Mom, Holly & me) watched it the night before we came home from Houston and, believe me, we needed the escapism. There's something about getting lost in a good book or movie isn't there?

Anyway, we watched it and all three of us were cooing like doves over Matthew MacFadyen's Mr. Darcy. And honestly, what's not to love?

This version of P&P is so different in that it focuses on the intimacies between parents and children, sisters, friends, suitors and their intendeds, and - ultimately - husbands and wives. I love the BBC/A&E 1991 version of Pride & Prejudice. It's the ultimate, almost word-for-word representation of Jane Austen's most popular work. This was the version that introduced me to all things fine and proper. All things romantic and civil. And to some who call themselves "Jane-ites" it is their Holy Grail and I am not about to take that away from them. Especially since I love my sister-in-law!

I love this newer version because it's lacings aren't done so tight and it allows some room to let the characters fully develop into the emotional and vulnerable personalities I envisioned as I journeyed through the book and so needed to see on screen. It made them just that much more real to me. Makes me care so much more about the goings-on of something so trivial. And it really makes me think that people were really more like that than the prim-and-proper counterparts represented in its predecessor. In my humble opinion, I think Ms. Austen meant for her work to be just as much a charicature of the society in which she was part as much as it was meant to be a narrative about the life around her.

I just love this film. Plain and simple. And I am more than happy to sit down and watch it with anyone that asks. Everybody needs a little bit of Elizabeth and Darcy sometimes. And sometimes, that's the best medicine.

A Conversation Between Two 15 year-olds...

"Dude, listen to this: 'My get-up-and-go just got up and went"

"What?"

"My get-up-and-go... just got up... and went"

"What does that even mean?"

"IDK, my BFF Rose?"

Pause... and then chuckling. Chuckling!! Even some coming from me... and then my patented synchronized eye-roll and head shake.

All of this while they play Guitar Hero III.
Charming...

So much to think about!

Ok, so I had some idea what elements I wanted on my blog when I first started, but being the "point-and-click" expert that I am I cannot figure out how to add them to this thing!

I've been trying to figure out how to add those cool little lists of blogs I read, etc., for the last hour! And I am not computer illiterate, people. I was playing on a Mac Classic at age 3 and Mario taught me how to properly utilize the keyboard when I was in junior high. I can format a document in Word and enter my payment info into my Amazon.com account. I know my way around these things. Really, I do!

I guess it's a quick trip to book store (who has ever heard of a "quick trip" to the bookstore?!) to pick up a brand spankin' new copy of Blogging for Dummies. I am now walking out the door with my head hung in shame. Charming, huh?...

Welcome to Funky Charming!

My name is Kirsten and I will be your guide for the duration of this post! A little about me: I am 26, I live in San Jose, and I am a quilter. I sew, design patterns and teach. My favourite show on the DIY Network is Stylicious and I am addicted to What Not to Wear. I am Funky Charming. Welcome!

Funky Charming came about out of necessity. I was designing patterns under SimpleArts - my mother's company - and I needed a way to differentiate my patterns from hers. So Funky Charming was born as a division of SimpleArts. I debuted my first pattern under the FC name in Houston at International Quilt Market in October. Yay!

This Funky Charming blog will most definitely be about quilting and anything thus related, but it will also be about me and my adventures in and out of the world that is quilting. It is my goal to post at least once a day so I hope you enjoy it and I hope you come back often! And please feel free to leave comments!
Until then...
Have a Charming Day!