Halloween Stitches!

Now you know Skelekitty and I will tell you that it's ALWAYS the right time to create with a Halloween theme. However, as we approach Fall and the orange, black and bones show up in the craft stores, we notice that folks seem more motivated to spookify their crafts. Pimp Stitch, as always, is at your side to help you out.

This week the ladies who are taking the embroidery world by storm with their irresistible and affordable patterns have released 8 new patterns! Two by each artist, the designs are all in a Halloween theme to adorn all of you spooky*cute decorations!

Check out:

• Happy Scary and Bananas in Pajamas (Halloween ed.) by Tamie Snow,
• Halloween Carnies and Halloween Costumes by Missy Balance
• Funny Face and Halloween Friends by Amy Cluck
• Pumpkin Patch and Hallow's Eve by Lauren Brandy

As Pimp Stitch says, "keep your stitch hand strong!"

Read more ...

My Return To Sactown's 2nd Saturday Art Walk

I've been getting a lot of questions that go like this, "where were you on second Saturday?" and "are you still showing in galleries?" Quick answers: vacation/home/sick and yes.

I have to admit, I've enjoyed the time "off" from the gallery deadlines since April and spent it (minus a month) creating and learning. For the most part, it's been a nice little retreat, but it's time to get my creations back out there, if for no other reason than I'm running out of space in my studio!

So get out to the Midtown Grid and peruse K Street this Saturday evening. Drop in on the Scary-Art gang and friends at Grind & Groove, then scoot across the street to Kevin and Allyson Seconds' newly re-opened True Love Coffeehouse (now upstairs).

No previews of my stuff for you cheeky little monkeys, though! You'll have to show up on Saturday (or wait for the post-show pictures). I will tell you that it's mostly mixed media & collage for this show, and all but one piece are available for the very first time!

Read more ...

She's really branched out!

Ms. Kitty, Skelekitty to her friends, has decided to start her own blog! Of course I'll still keep you up-to-date on her mischief, she thought you might like to hear it straight from the kitty's mouth (and there are bound to be some giveaways and news there that will be exclusive to SK's subscribers).

Skelekitty's Blogger page

She only just started posting today - we found that it's easier for her to use her little paws on my Blackberry, but she gets more exercise on the computer keyboard. LOL.

Read more ...

Critters amoung the marigolds

Praying Mantis
Originally uploaded by krissi's stitchery & mexiphemera

This little one is a benefit of having a pesticide-free yard!

p.s. Sorry that my Skelekitty-Approved links went missing, I'm trying to reformat my blog into a 3-column format and am not having the luck I'd like with template modifications and XML.

Read more ...

Golden Child: Chris Cozen

Yesterday, the mixed media artists group to which I (and La Snatchita) belong, met, as we do once a month. Our meeting was almost canceled when a family emergency took our scheduled presenter out of town. However, yesterday fortune managed a smile for our group and we were treated to a presentation by Pasadena-based Golden Working Artist, Chris Cozen. I'm not sure whether to stalk her or give her permanent stink-eye for it, but I'm now wanting one of EVERY product created by Golden, of which there are MANY new ones!

Chris's short, but densely informative presentation solved the "paint mud" problem I've been having, while opening numerous doors of mixed-media possibilities. Most of us spent the lecture trying to keep our chins off the floor or wiping away art-supply-coveting drool. I'm glad I came home with her book, Altered Surfaces...., and have been reading and re-reading it since yesterday. If you're a crafter or mixed-media artist without a chemistry or art education background and don't have this yet, you MUST get it.



She is in the process of writing a new book I plan to be in line to pre-purchase on transfer techniques, a particular love and interest (obsession?) of mine. Unfortunately, we must all wait until early 2009 before we can start thumbing through our own copies. Rest assured, I will be giving it a review.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing a presentation on Golden's Mix More Media line - I have the kit, albeit unopened, sitting like a shrine to printed possibilities in the center of my studio. I have made a solemn oath not to open it or read up on the possibilities until I catch up on all of my backorders, swaps and get the Skelekitty copyright and licensing stuff in order (dang).

Anyway, as you probably expected, there is a new blog on Skelekitty's list:

Let's Talk Color

Read more ...

Holy Recycled Junk!

My pal, cohort in Scary CRAFT crime and sometimes psychiatric counselor Sacred Snatch comes up with a great ideas for swaps on Swap-Bot (oh, if you're not over there yet, you should be).

"Recycle Yo Junk!" was a group swap she created for some of the crazy-ass girlies who were on the Crafty Chica Cruise this past March. As you would suppose, the challenge of this particular swap was to utilize recycled materials to create art (2 pieces) for a randomly assigned partner.

Because I sorta lost the month of July, I haven't gotten my pieces done (or even started) yet, but here's what I received in the mail today from my pal Michele!


nicho/shrine made from a tin and featuring the FABULOUS Crafty Chica (Duncan) glitters!


seriously, this started as bottlecaps and a jar lid...


ephemera from another's stash (always my favorite)

I just wanted to give a shout-out for Ms. Parlee and let y'all know how much she rocks.

p.s. I still owe a blog on my other uber-swap-score of the millenium: the Frida/Birthday Swap Haul from La Snatchita herself!

Read more ...

Alive and WELL!

Sorry I've been M.I.A. for the last week, but it's because I'm feeling so much better, that I've returned to the gym and am working furiously to catch up on a horrifying backlog of work (truly horrifying).

In short, the pain, nausea and other fun and games I've been experiencing over the past month were caused by another medication I was taking. It wasn't the obvious suspect until everything else was ruled out because I've been taking it for well over eight years! Solution: stop taking the medication that's causing more problems than it's solving. Voila! Krissi is well again!

The drug, metformin (aka glucophage) is for type 2 diabetics, but was used in my case because I became insulin resistant and, as a result of my particular genetics, suffered a "domino effect" of endocrine/reproductive hormone malfunctions commonly known as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Luckily for ME, the medication can be replaced with a major lifestyle change including mandatory fat loss, diet high in fiber & omega-3 fatty acids & weight bearing exercise. Ironically, the reason I was on a diet -oh, BTW, I lost 10 lbs and am almost down another pants/dress size- which set all these problems in motion was to get OFF the metformin! (I told you about my Space Alienism, yes? LOL.)

Anyway friends, fellow crafty folk and complete strangers, I am well. No surgery. Easy fix. Thank the universe for that, anyway!

Read more ...

Yes, Virginia, There IS A Craft Night!

Fear not, fellow craftistas! We will be crafting with abandon tomorrow (Tuesday) evening from 6-ish to 9-ish at Side Show Studios!

Your lovely hostesses have decided to forego the challenge and the tutorial portions of our program, and have cleared the entire evening's schedule so that you, dear crafters, can focus on your projects in earnest! (Actually, as most of you know, I was under the weather, and Ms. Yoli was working like a dawg, so we were unable to update the blog and pimp out the features in the manner they deserve.)

So, without further ado....

NIGHT OF THE CRAFTERS (a B.Y.O.C. event*)
presented by Scary CRAFT and Side Show Studios
June 22nd (and every 4th Tuesday), 6:30 to 9pm
Side Show Studios
5635 Freeport, 6 - Sactown
(adults and mature teens only please - thank you for helping to give our Mommy-members the night "off")

*bring your own crafts ( and chair).

Read more ...

Good News and No News

First, the good: I won't be needing surgery to remove my gall bladder at this juncture. The "no news:" I'm still a mystery.

I've repeated the details of my story a few times with friends and during the tellings, a few of my chronic issues always come up. I have some auto-immune issues like Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which my sister calls "most dishonorable thyroid disorder." I've discovered over the past decade that, with one auto-immune problem come others. I'm lucky though - no Lupus, no M.S. Just asthma, chemical sensitivity, PCOS and Hashimoto's, all of which are live-withable.

Iwas relating to Mr. Lobo this afternoon a funny story about having my favorite doctor EVER (Lisa Capaldini) officially diagnose my collection of endocrinological(?) malfunctions as "Space Alienism." This was right after she asked if my husband and I met at a 'weird endocrine disorders support group' and we answered in unison, "no, in college." LOL. I guess the ol' S.A. is just acting up again...

ANYWAY... a few docs think the nausea & pain might be from one of the meds I'm taking to keep one aspect of my Space Alienism (the PCOS) under control. Just for kicks, we all (my PCP, a specialist, Ron, Mouse & I) decided I should stop the med for a couple of weeks and see what happens. Hopefully, this will improve my situation. LOL.

Let's hope.

Read more ...

The Amazing Colossal Art Show - B-Movie themed benefit for flood victims!

The Amazing Colossal Art Show is TOMORROW! What is it? you ask. Well I'll tell ya:

A “B-Movie”-themed art sale to benefit the flood victims in Franklin, IN, home of the Midwest’s second annual “B-Movie Celebration.” The Amazing Colossal Art Show will be hosted by Franklin’s adopted daughter and Sacramento's own local B-Movie goddess, The Queen of Trash!

Think rubber monsters, zombies, go-go girls, Mexican wrestlers, space girls in silver bikinis, paper plate saucers, giant robots, brains in jars, kung fu masters, skulls, death cars, radioactive insects and, of course, amazing colossal people!

Several local artists have donated works to this worthy cause, including:

The Scary-Art of Nicolas Caesar
C!nder
Lobo-Trash
Krissi Sandvik
JaredK
Samantha Marie Grove
Evie Turner
Barry Barnes
Jill Stafford
and MANY MORE!!!

Here’s the best part: ALL of the pieces will be under $100, and the majority will be $50 or under! The very air will abound with affordable art, jewelry and trinkets!

100% of profits will benefit the Johnson County Flood Relief Fund.*

Saturday, July 19^th, 6pm – 10pm
Vox Sacramento
Corner of X & 19^th
Sacramento

* unsold pieces will be shipped to Franklin, IN to be included in a silent auction in September.

Read more ...