Branching Paths

For years, I've identified myself as a "jill-of-all-trades." My posts of late have felt a bit like drawing cards from a tarot deck, showing a different face each time: The Writer, The Filmmaker, The Crafter, The Geek, The Cook, The Traveler. 

Makes for a bit of scattered reading, no?

So, after a bit of soul-searching, I've decided that it would be best to create separate spaces for the separate parts of my life. 

My writing and filmmaking have become increasingly more active, and though this is wonderful for me, I understand most of my visitors to HEMM are here for cute crafts and tasty treats.

So, I've created a new blog devoted exclusively to my writing and filmmaking. 

I have grand plans for this new little blog, including:

• Advice and musings on the writing process, from inception to promotion. 
• A chronicle of my adventures in filmmaking as I launch into production of my latest short horror film, Inner Critic. 
• Book, comic, and movie reviews for stories that I truly consider "bloody good." 

Hand/Eye/Mind/Mouth began as -- and shall remain -- my crafty space. 

I hope some of you will join me over at Bloody Good Stories. If not, no hard feelings. I'll still be around here for a spot of stitching! 

And the winner is...

My ultra-high-tech randomizer picked Looloolooweez as the winner of my 101 posts giveaway! Lest you accuse me of falsifying the results, I assure you that I used a trusted third party system (ie: Professor Lefty).

Thanks to everyone who entered! It's always good to hear from ya'll, so don't be strangers, now, y'hear? I promise, some crafty goodness is on the horizon. Most projects got put on hiatus for the summer, but now that my suitcases are back in the closet, my fingers are itchin' for some stitchin'. And typing. Lots of typing.

101 Posts Giveaway!

Photo by Shirley Booth

This is post 101 on my blog!

It's been a little over 3 years in the coming, but that doesn't make this any less special. In these three years, I've started and lost jobs, made and pimped my first short film, and traveled to new corners of the world. I've also watched my embroidery skills grow, my knitting skills kinda flounder, and my repertoire of recipes expand. 

More importantly, I've met all sorts of wonderful new folks with this blog. To my fellow crafters, writers, and geeks, I just want to say "thank you" for reading, whether you started reading at post one or post one hundred.

I think this calls for a celebration, don't you?

In honor of my 101 posts, I'm doing my first ever giveaway! I've created a little mini-prize package that I think reflects the nature of this blog:

• A DVD copy of my film, Everything I Needed to Know About Zombies I Learned from the Movies
• A Sublime Stitching pattern pack, Molly Crabapple
• A set of recipe cards from BoyGirlParty
• A pack of pretty, handmade flower beads straight from the Sampeng market in Bangkok
• A felt heart pincushion with some "wooden stake" quilting pins, each made by me

Leave a comment below by midnight PST on Tuesday, August 9, letting me know why you read this blog (is it the embroidery? The sporadic cross stitch patterns?) and I'll pick one winner at random.  

It's the least I can do to say "thank you!"

The Announcement!

Hear that hush? The storm has passed. The gale-force winds of Christmas have quieted, leaving behind colorful debris of wrapping paper, tinsel strands, and cookie crumbs. New Year’s is still upon us, in all its cork-popping glory, but it’s a mild rain compared to Hurricane Xmas.

I, for one, had a lovely holiday. We had our first official Bay Area Xmas--my folks made the trek up from SoCal--and there was much merriment and feasting. I think the highlight was playing Rock Band until 3 a.m. with my entire family, and hearing my Mama sing Rob Zombie’s “Superbeast.” These are the precious moments holiday specials are made of.

But now, the parents are on their way home, the fridge is stuffed with leftovers, and it’s time to settle in and get ready to welcome the New Year.

New Year’s is both about reflecting on the events of the past 365 days, and looking forward to the clean slate of the next year. I, like many other folks, already have some goals set out for 2011, but there’s one in particular that got a bit of a head start this week: that thing I announced that I was going to announce.

Thank you for being so patient, dear readers. I can finally tell you what it is I’ve been sitting on for the past couple weeks:

I’m a new contributing writer at Geek Crafts!

I’m super-excited about this new gig, seeing as it’s the fusion of three of my favorite things: writing, geekery, and crafting. I’ll be combing the interwebs to find some of the best in geek craft to share with the world. My first post went up yesterday, and I’ll be posting every Tuesday and Friday.

This is not to be confused with my Crafty Bytes column over at Electronic Wasteland, which is all about interviewing video game crafters.

So, if you have any geek crafts you’d like to see featured, send ‘em my way!

Shake the Disease

Go. Read. Feel. Learn.

Be Real.

It's an "Electronic Wasteland" out there!

Though not as big news as the release of Halo: Reach, I too have my own small contribution to the gaming community to announce today.

The secret project I have alluded to in my past posts is finally up and running! For all you gamers and game-curious folks, I give you the Electronic Wasteland!

Created by my old friend Kevin Eno, "Electronic Wasteland" is a place to discuss all things video game related. It covers video gaming news, reviews, and lifestyle, embracing all forms of digital gaming, from big-budget console franchises to indie-made iPhone apps.

So far I've contributed two pieces, one about how to get your significant other to game with you and one about my Dragon Age II experience at Comic Con.

I'm really excited to have a specific place to share my love of games, and I hope ya'll take a peek. Kevin is also looking for writers who would want to contribute, so drop me or him a line if you're interested.

Hand: Hello December

Though it usually fills me with a vague sense of terror, I'm actually glad it's December this time around. Maybe it's just because it's been such a bear of a semester for my husband the Professor (which I always get to share in at home), and December heralds the end of the insanity. Maybe I'm actually looking forward to the holidays, with the making of gifts, and thus avoiding the shop-and-gift-fair battles that come with the season. Maybe it's as simple as being excited to see both sets of families (his and mine) in the span of one month, plus the added bonus of two weeks off work.

To celebrate this new found joy of the month, I've decked out my blog layout in an appropriately "wintry" theme, though:

1. I know it's still Autumn for 20 more days.
2. I live in the Bay Area. The last time it snowed here was 2005. And that was a freak occurrence.

But that doesn't matter. I hope you check it out and enjoy!

I think I was partially inspired by one of the latest stitching projects I completed, this cute little snowman from a free Annie Oakleaves pattern.




I'm seriously hooked to her patterns, they're so simple and so sweet, I can't help but feel cheerful whenever I work on one. You can download this pattern from her Flickr.

I've already bought a matching fabric to make a little wall hanging with him, so hopefully I'll have pictures to share soon!

Another reason I love the snowman is that it reminds me of one of my favorite B-movies Cannibal! The Musical, which was Trey Parker and Matt Stone's first film, pre-South Park. It's hilarious, sufficiently gory, and filled with ridiculous musical numbers such as "Let's Build a Snowman!" A warning, Not work or kid-safe, as there is language and a bit of gore at the end. But then again, what holiday video would be complete without it?

Eye: "Brown paper packages tied up with string..."

...quickly becoming one of my favorite things!

Y'know, I never took much stock in that silly song, especially since "whiskers on kittens" make me sneeze and mittens just annoy the hell out of me. But there is something a little magical about getting a brown paper package tied with pretty string, especially when it's coming from Coo-koo-ri-koo.



I love how she packaged the little embroidered "granny bobbies" I ordered on a vintage flash card. Not to mention, the tiny sweet that's almost too pretty to unwrap and eat was a lovely surprise, as was the coupon for future purchases, of which there will be more, for sure!



If you're into vintage button jewelry and darling felted birds, I highly recommend you stop by her shop and peruse her wares!

Mind: Avoiding the Inevitable

Yay! Thank you Brook from Knit With Love! I feel really honored. I've only been blogging here for a few months...and sporadically at that. But it's been fun! I'm so glad you like my fledgling blog (and projects)! I hope to have more to share soon.

I'll admit...I'm gonna have to cheat this. I...um...don't really *know* 7 bloggers to share this with...that I'm not too shy to approach! I know, I know, if I don't "mingle" I'll never meet anyone! But I'm just such a wallflower sometimes...especially Monday mornings.

Even Monday mornings I don't have to go to work! Ah, the benefits of working only 4 days week. However...I promised myself this was going to be a day of writing. I was gonna sit down with a blank word document and crank out the DVD case text for my film, and actually start working on a new short story. So...I think I need to shower, pack up my laptop, and head out to my local cafe, because I'm already getting the itch to:

1. Blog about my film, my favorite beer, and the embroidery projects I finished over the weekend.
2. Finish my current embroidery project, then start scouring the web for fabric to match it.
3. Wash dishes/do laundry/scrub bathroom/pick up living room/make bed
4. Start a NEW craft project from the Doodle Stitching book I picked up yesterday.
5. Call my family, which can be a 3-hour conversation!
6. Try Vanilla Garlic's Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes recipe.
7. Keep adding to this list.
8. Do ANYTHING I can to avoid the terror of the blank page.

So. Stall with a shower. And by stopping by Petco for a new heating bulb for my lizard, Arrakis. And then...to write.

*gulp*

Hand: Han Solo sampler...on Craftzine.com!!

Holy mother of Jeff.

I just was doing my daily scan of blogs in my reader, and came across this:

My Han Solo sampler is on Craft: magazine's blog!!!

Never, in a bazillion light years did I imagine my little contest entry to make such a prestigious crafting blog. I'm alternating between stunned and elated.

This has totally made my day!

Hand: Veggie Dishtowel

Veggie Dishtowel Close-Up
Originally uploaded by Zhad_Squad
I'm trying out the whole Flickr to Blogger function here, so bear with me if this post looks bad. Or you've seen three different versions of it.

I finished this towel a while ago, but I haven't had a chance to upload the photos to share. I made it using the Sublime Stitching "I Luv Veggies" pattern. I have fruit on the other side, too, but the veggies were my favorite.

I'm rather proud of this one. I tried something a little different. It was all backstitching, but I did two layers of three-count threads in different hues of the same color. It added a little depth and texture, which was neat for the veggies. I'm especially proud of the garlic, which I feel has a nice, papery look to it, like real garlic.

Someday, I may post a picture of the awesome impression my husband does of the happy carrot.
Hmm...not sure I'm digging the Flickr transfer. It may take a little getting used to. It's nice to not have to upload, I must say!