cathy of california

please join me this friday @ the curiosity shoppe in san francisco

one of my favorite stores in the whole world is the curiosity shoppe in san francisco. i was thrilled when derek + lauren asked me if they could carry my kits and even more thrilled when they asked me to do a workshop. to help kick off the renegade craft fair weekend please stop by this friday between 5 - 7pm to join in on the fun. it's free, there will be some snacks + drinks and it's a sure bet you'll run into some friends or make some new ones!

the curiosity shoppe
855 valencia st. (bet 19th & 20th)
san francisco 94110
415/671-5384

derek + lauren will also be @ renegade craft fair on sunday in the chronicle books booth signing copies of their fabulous new book: wallpaper projects.

i'll be @ renegade craft fair in LA july 11-12 and SF july 18-19

for all of you in the los angeles and san francisco areas you are not going to want to miss the renegade craft fair. i'll be selling at both this year. last year's san francisco's show was fabulous and i'm sure that both shows this year will be even better.

los angeles: july 11+ 12 @ the california market center downtown 11am - 7pm

san francisco: july 18 + 19 @ fort mason center festival pavilion 11am - 7pm

and for those of you in san francisco hope you can join me on friday july 17 for a flower loom demo @ the curiosity shoppe 855 valencia (between 19th + 20th) 5 - 7 pm.

macrame for the expressive generation, 1973

i ran across this advertisement while looking for the image i used in the previous post - this is one of the things i was cracking up to myself over. but truthfully the (even though it's dorky) copy for this ad comes pretty close to summing up the way i was feeling at the time. come to think about spending 4 hours alone listening to music and making stuff still sounds like a good idea to me.

the jackson 5, 1972

i'm sure it will not surprise you that i saved all of my "teeny bopper" magazines. earlier this evening i decided to dig them out of my closet. as i looked thru the box i cracked up to myself over some of the stuff i used to be totally obsessed with - all of those groups that were marketed towards kids.

at the time there were other bands (like the partridge family) that i was way more into but i somehow always knew that the jackson 5 were actually a better group - plus they did wear some really amazing costumes. they are the only band from that time period to make an appearance on my ipod today.

please go here to see them performing on "the cher show" and here on "the carol burnett show". and here's michael on "the sonny and cher comedy hour".

 

reminder - flower loom class @ home ec next monday june 29th

i'm teaching another flower loom class next monday @ home ec in silver lake. for more details and to sign up please visit the home ec website!

a little summer vacation...be back soon

lots and lots going on right now so i thought it might be a good idea to put my blog on a little vacation. i've got some big projects in the works and 2 shows to get ready for (both los angeles + san francisco renegade craft fairs in july) so i think it's a good time to take a little blog break. i promise i will be back just as soon as i can!

flower loom variations + upcoming class @ home ec june 29th

 

i recently tried out a few things other than raffia on the looms. i am especially happy with the ones i did with floral wire (first shot) - it's hard to tell but i bent some of the petals up to give them a little dimension. the second shot is hemp beading cord which i am also very happy with and am going to try painting.  and of course there are the obligatory yarns flowers - so now i can say that i actually have made yarn flowers.  i just picked up some linen bookbinding cord that i'm going to try out next. i also found some vintage millenary wire (one of the colors is persimmon!) on ebay that i can't wait to get in the mail.

and speaking of flower looms i am teaching a class on june 29th @ home ec in silver lake. please go here to sign up and for more information. also please visit the home ec website for their complete class schedule and to what they have in the shop.

weekend assignment: go out and buy a craft book!

chances are if you read my blog on regular basis (and by the way thanks so much for doing so) i am pretty sure that you like to make things and/or enjoy things that are made by hand. that said i have a big favor to ask of you. the other day i was quite taken by my good friend kayte's blog post. please go here right now and read it before you continue reading this post.

i ask that if you are able to please take a trip to your local bookstore (independent if possible) and treat yourself to a craft book. i think it's super important right now to support the craft community and i can't think of a better way than the purchase of one of the many amazing craft books out there today. for those of you in the los angeles area head over to home ec in silver lake or vroman's in pasadena - they both have an excellent selection of craft books.

in no particular order here are a few suggestions:

sewing green by betz white

handmade nation by faythe levine

simple sewing by lotta jansdotter

denyse schmidt quilts by denyse schmidt

wallpaper projects by derek fagerstrom + lauren smith

french general: home sewn by kaari meng

zakka sewing by therese laskey 

alabama stitch book by natalie chanin

sew darn cute by jenny ryan

chic and simple sewing by christine haynes

painting by hand by lena corwin

weekend sewing by heather ross

button it up by susan beal

complete embellishing by katye terry

thanks so much!

(pictured is the bookshelf next to my desk)

crocheted wall panel, 1969

from mc call's annual of creative handicrafts, 1969

let the stitch tell the story, 1965

sampler by irma bolley

(from mc call's embroidery for beginners 1966)