The Violet Hours

Time for Birthday Scavenger Hunt

     

I'm usually really into my birthday, but for no particular reason this year I was not; I would have been totally fine if it had come and gone sans celebration. But it was kind of a big one, number-wise, and my husband would never have believed that I really didn't want to acknowledge it, so he coined January 30th Amanday (naturally). He planned the perfect afternoon that started at 3 o'clock at one of my favorite places in this amazing borough of ours: the Brooklyn Flea.

Here's what went down: Michael made scavenger hunt cards that had 2 clues each with an opportunity for bonus points. Everyone's card was different—each clue had something to do with yours truly and the gift could not exceed $10.

I walked around with Michael while our friends moseyed about, hunting for a $10 trinket and treasures for themselves. Here are photos of the brilliant finds (plus 2 unplayed cards to finish out the grid) followed by a list of their clues:

 

1. Find a pin that’s cute as sin. (Aaron found a mink pin, thus accomplishing both clues 1 & 2.)
2. Find something that’s warm, cute, cuddly or sweet.
3. Find 35 of something.
4. Find something that’s good in the kitchen. (Michael bought me a sweet apron.)
5. Find something that let’s you play a game. (Lindsay found this chalkboard, drew a hangman game, added the dice and won bonus points with the ALK in chALK!)
6. Find something that always brings a little amusement.
7. Find something that stamps, cuts, snips, glues or clips.
8. Find something that brings things together. (Jocelyn and Dave were so right that Nunu hot chocolate does just that.)
9. Find something that rhymes with Amanda.
10. Find something that’s too cute for words. (Micah got it: felt+owl+tissue holder=totally precious!)
11. Find something that shows an owl. (Ami, being a Bklyn Flea newbie, was shocked at the plethora of owls. Therefore, I scored 2: a pin and a wood carving by an artist named MC.)
12. Find something that’s always a hoot.
13. Find something that starts with an ‘A’ and ends with an ‘A’. (Nicola accomplished both 13 & 14 and the bonus: the Alvara label begins and ends with 'A', red buttons look awesome with gray, an eraser goes with graphite, read: gray, and a playing card with the letters mAK, thus earning her bonus points!)
14. Find something that looks better with a little gray.
15. Find a moody photograph of Brooklyn.
16. Find something that works well in different positions. (ah-chem)
17. Find something that writes right.
18. Find something that's worth talking about.
    **Bonus. Find something that has the letters AK or ALK on it.

After 2 hours at the Flea, we made our way to Alibi for drinks and the highly anticipated reveal, followed by an amazing dinner at The General Greene, and lastly, we ended the night with cocktails at Brooklyn Public House.

Thanks to Michael (the husband), Ami, Dan, Lindsay, Aaron, Micah, Nicola, Sean, Rachel, Jocelyn, Dave, Lissa, Alex, and Finn (or is it Fin?) for the best birthday ever!

Time for Baby Hats

  

I love anything vintage. Really, I do. Just ask my husband. Or come to my house. It's everywhere.

I found this precious website called The Baby Gardner that specializes in vintage of all sorts. And these hats in particular had me at hello. 

And while I'm on the topic, check out these cuties from Oeuf. (Bat boy on left, Bat girl on right.)

  

Time for Cataloging

I am a self-proclaimed pack rat. One could even say that I should have started this blogging thing ages ago if only to record my tastes du jour.

When I saw this piece by Simon Evans called Everything I Have, I got it. I totally understand why someone would want to do this. This is not to say that I do, or that I even could (lord knows this would take volumes), but wouldn't it be impressive to see a snapshot of your possessions on one sheet of paper?

After all, you can't take it with you.

Time for Book Jackets

Beyond clever bookmarks/book jackets! Visit Cup of Jo to see a dozen more.

Definitely a "why didn't I think of that" moment!

Time for Paper Flowers

I love getting flowers. Any kind, really; I can even relish in a cheap grocery store bouquet. (The trick is to take it apart and make separate little bunches—just ditch the baby's breath.)

I'm always trying to invent a new way to make paper flowers. Here are some lovely examples...

From Maya*Made (one of my fave blogs)...she used shredder scissors.

 

I love these quilled flowers from Garden Party.

Flowers made from sewing patterns found at Polka Dot Rabbit. For real!

 

And lastly, from one of my favorite magazines, Parents (wink, wink), here are flowers made from catalogs and magazines. Blair Stocker from Wise Craft is the genius crafter behind these.

What's better than a flower that doesn't wilt?

Time for Haiti Relief

Everyone is doing a part to help the devastating situation in Haiti, even the craft community. Visit the Craft Hope store on Etsy to purchase lovely handmade items. All proceeds will benefit Doctors Without Borders in Haiti.

As of January 20, 2010, they have sold over 1,000 items and raised over $20,000. Amazing.

For more information visit Crafthope.com.

Time for Frank Lloyd Wright

  

...and Legos. Ok, I realized this is my second Lego post—I guess that proves that a classic can continue to reinvent itself. Lego has produced the Guggenheim and Falling Water—neither for the faint of Lego. I actually grew up in an Atlanta house designed by one of FLW's apprentices, Robert Greene—I wonder if I could build it out of Legos? Might be worth a try, on the next rainy Sunday.

Found via.

Time for Awesome Things

  

 

Apparently I'm a little late to this, but I just found this blog, 1000 Awesome Things, which apparently is also a book which apparently everyone else knows about. (I say this because the site is nearing 10 million hits, won a Webby award, and have been covered by every major news outlet. But still, yes, new to me.)

When I logged on, the most recent post on the site made me say in my head "yes. yes, that really is awesome." Number 587 in the list of 1000 Awesome Things: Taking your ponytail out. Guys, unless you have long hair, you really don't know how freeing this can be. Ladies, you're with me, right?

The drawings above are by Monsieur Cabinet. I'm not sure if he was commissioned to make them or if he just felt moved to do so, but they illustrate what I assume are his favorite Awesome Things. Here are 3 of my faves.  (Especially the Q and the U luck.)

#602 Setting the new high score on a video game

#990 Picking up a Q and a U at the same time in Scrabble

#796 The sound of rain from inside a tent

Found via.

Time for the Number 100

Last night my 6 year old niece Grey called me for help with a school project. The assignment was to collect 100 of something, anything, and then assemble it somehow, anyhow. I'm tickled/touched/honored that I'm the g0-to reference for my nieces and nephews when it comes to crafts.

After talking her out of gluing 100 M&Ms to a piece of poster board, we settled on a mosaic of sorts, made from fragments of magazine pages. So Grey cut 100 slivers and grouped them by color to form a rainbow. This is Grey at work...

Grey's project came just one day after I found this blog called A Collection A Day, 2010, where the writer is posting a collection, either a photo or a drawing, every day in the year 2010. As an obsessive collector myself (owls, antique compacts, vintage tags), I'm totally obsessed with her pursuit. The photo of clothespin above, is from Day 6.

Time for Unique Greetings

Ok, so maybe it's a little cliche to be a crafter and to love Martha Stewart, but I'm admitting it. Right here. I heart Martha Stewart. Maybe her extensively detailed articles on the proper laundering techniques of bed sheets or pruning apple trees can get a little tedious, but sometimes her crafts are so right on.

This craft is not actually hers (but really, which ones are?); it's by Jodi Levine, one of her craft gurus. (I swear I saw Jodi at the new Michael's here in NYC, but I was too craft-struck to say anything.)

Instead of sending disposable paper greetings, she made these very easy tissue packet holders from felt (my fave source for wool felt is Magic Cabin) and stamped the top tissue with a sweet greeting. Easy, flat, and perfect for winter.

Love.