make crafts. not war.

here i am, bloggies. i miss being able to update my blog with new creations and pretty findings and things that are lovely. it's ok, though. 

the last year of my life involved a lot of solitude, and one of the only ways i felt like myself was when i was constantly creating. it's still important to me, but i'm so thankful to be learning so many new things and spending time with new wonderful people. i feel happy and healthy and thankful to be where i am. so -- i didn't fall off the earth: i'm just enjoying it in different ways at the moment.

i wanted to share a project that i made in my computerized publication design class. i am learning a lot about how to use PhotoShop, Illustrator, and InDesign, which is really exciting! Illustrator is the most difficult part for me, but i am coming along slowly but surely. 

the assignment was to make a poster for a fictitious event. i decided to make mine for a charitable craft fair. here it is (click to see it bigger) : 

the thread looks weird in the small version of the poster, but when it's the size it should be (11x17), it looks right. promise! i downloaded the cross-stitch font and built the rest from scratch. (again, i'm not posting my work here because i think it's award-winning or anything. it's just a new phase of creation for me, and i'm excited about it!)

speaking of creations, i have some evidence of halloween 2010:

i made a unicorn costume this year. it took two whole skeins of yearn to make the mane and tail. yikes! the horn is made of poster board and a glittery sheet of foam. 

i made the whole head piece sort of like a stretchy headband with the mane attached at the top and bottom. 

i also carved a ridiculous / ugly pumpkin. i like dinosaurs (who doesn't?), so i rolled with it. i drew the t-rex, but when i cut it out, i realized that i just had a pumpkin with a gaping dinosaur-shaped hole. oops.

 i added "happy dino-ween" because if i were a dinosaur, that's what i would call it. 

that's all for now. despite all the work that is hanging over my head, i am a pretty happy girl these days. in the words of penny lane, it's all happening. 

ps. the bloomington handmade market is this weekend. i can't wait!