Bench Mondays. That explains a few things.

From my observations in this side of the blogosphere, it seemed that everyone had suddenly been overrun with mice or something.  Well, it just so happens that it’s Monday and I have a pair of shoes to show you, so I’ll be jumping on the bandwagon for a bit.  Benchwagon?

Nice how these things work out sometimes.

As part of my challenge of the utmost kind, I decided to take a fairly hideous pair of shoes (found in a free pile) and see if I could breathe new life into their tired, old soles.

They started out dirty, kind of weird shaped, and very beat up and funky-in-the-bad-way.  I ruthlessly scrubbed them in the sink, let them dry out for a week, and covered them with the fabric that I made from my first run on a rigid heddle loom.  Let’s focus on that instead of the crooked nailheads, shall we?

There might be some more modifications (woodburning on the base perhaps?) and a linseed oil finish, but that’s the gist of it.

And never is there a photo shoot around here without a helper:

No mice around here.  Just a bunch of crazies suffering from cabin fever.  Hope this Monday is delivering new views for your clan too.

New Year’s Resolutions.

Not part of my usual agenda.

This year however, I have come across an idea that I like so much I’m willing to make an exception. Not so much out of the tradition of creating one of these lists, but because it will be a point of time that’s easy for me to remember.  I also discovered the year-long challenge right before Christmas and knew much, much better than to begin and end such a feat right in the midst of chaos.

May I present Dottie Angel’s “Challenge of the Utmost Kind” ~

If that’s too tough to read, the gist is that I will not be buying any new article of clothing for myself for one year (unless it’s handmade).  This isn’t actually a stretch since I rarely buy any new item of clothing for myself, the challenge for me is to actually sit down and make myself some clothes.  And unlike most of the participants in this dandy little challenge, I do plan on making my own underwear.

This Resolution (cue the dramatic voice and music) comes about out of necessity more than anything.  I’m happy to say that as the babes grow, the mama continues to shrink.  After three years of being pregnant, nursing, being pregnant, and nursing some more, this mama is pretty ripe for a new wardrobe.  Motherhood changes a woman in a myriad of ways, both physically and mentally, and none of my old clothes fit anymore.  Physically or mentally.

So there we have it.  As I steadily work on building my inventory for this summer’s market, I will be concentrating on making clothing that I would wear myself…this new self that is motherly and responsible and wants to wear clothes that look pretty but are durable enough for me to wipe my hands on throughout our messy, puts-the-speed-of-light-to-shame kind of days.  Unique and tailored and with nursing access but not in an obvious way.   A little funky and off the beaten path but able to withstand whatever laundry setting I put them on.  Kid proof.

Those kinds of clothes.

Stay tuned for “the big reveal”, as lady Tif puts it.