Some things I made, and stuff

I feel like kind of a goofball, but I think I'll share some things I made today. Might help you out for the Christmas or other gifting extravagnaza you have in your future. I don't make that much, but I'm always trawling for new ideas on the internets, so here's a few:

I just made this baby toy today for my little girl and I think she's going to dig it. It's just wooden balls and jingle bells, you can find these at Hobby Lobby. It's pretty awesome if you'd like to gift a young 'un with a nice wooden toy but don't want to shell out the 13, 14, 15, or 20 bucks most of them cost. And then your kid really just wants to play with your cellphone. I know, it's a bummer. Anyway, I also sealed these with melted beeswax and that made them smell deliciously of the wax of bees. You could also add this to your basket of musical instruments.

I also made this sweet little barette... takes a mere two seconds and they're pretty effin' cute. Here's how.

Take that, Soulemama!

I made a bristlebot yesterday and I'm feeling very very pleased with myself. It's looking very ghetto but that's a motor and battery and switch taped onto a scrub brush. Kind of ridiculous but good for a few laughs and the kids enjoyed it. If you want to build one yourself, go here.
It's amazing how much you learn from doing something yourself, not reading about it, not talking to someone else about it.

The title of this post is a tad rude but I get semi-obsessed with Soulemama sometimes and wonder how she manages to write books, homeschool, knit, sew, blog, and never slip up and buy something at Target or have a kid who was obsessed with superheroes or who chomped on a pthalate-laden toy or anything like that. She is practically perfect in every way, but I don't think she ever built a robot, however primitive, for her kids, so I got her there.

East Austin Studio Tour

Oh Austin, why is it that every two seconds you have to delight me with some new wonder that makes me weak at the knees? East Austin Studio Tour was just yet another one of those moments that found me melting into a pool of mush for not only this town we call our home, but also for the amazingness of all those peops out there making art just for the pure sake of making it. Not making money necessarily (in fact in most cases most definitely not) but are just compelled to make stuff, stuff that amazes, confuses, bemuses, befuddles us... delights inspires or lights a fire... I felt so moved that there are SO many people out there who could have been watching TV but instead, made something.

Some of my faves:
and...
Fisterra Studio
Utility Research Garden (which unfortunately doesn't really contain a picture of one of the most magical gardens I've ever strolled through...)
Esquina Tango (What the heck? I was mad they shut down Church of the Friendly Ghost, I didn't know it morphed into a totally cool local tango dance hall).
Co lab

Advent calendar

I made this advent calendar over at Future Craft Collective last weekend.... if you know not of what I speak, then check it out pronto, and if you have any interest in a class like this for yourself, then jump on it dear sister (or brother).... I think they might be up for another one, just need a healthy handful of eager participants. I can't recommend it highly enough... for me no afternoon could be better spent than chatting with some cool women, getting in the zone, and actually having the room to pursue a project to it's timely end... no distractions, no children, not even your email...pure paradise. This is what I came up with, and it's pretty much wonky, strange, the color scheme is pretty much; "Color scheme? What color scheme?", but in knowing myself better and better each year (or day, or minute?) I knew I just had to bust it out, not second guess myself, and just go fast and furious until it was done, or it never would be. So there you go. Most importantly, my kids are going to dig it. Which is why when Bernadette whipped out the He-man sheets, I couldn't not include He-man and She-ra. I'm not planning on telling the kids that those are who they actually are... I'm interested to hear what they come up with, if anything... a Grubb Family Christmas Mythology all our own.

Coop comes for a visit and doesn't stay long

Come back and see us real soon now, y'hear?

(If you could see inside the baby carrier you would see Henny also was screaming her head off... good times!)

Comedienne