If you love Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, you'll laugh your ass off at Wolverine, The Musical! Stay tuned after the credits roll for the url to directions for making his awesome claws, so you, too, can slice the wings off of a bee.




How did I get these mutton chops?

-Carin-

Labels: carin, funny, movie, music, X-men

Hi, howdy, how y'all doin'?

What's that? Who the hell am I? Well, I don't blame you for not recognizing me here anymore, it's been that long since I posted. Since anyone other than Zabet posted here, for that matter.

But I've found something fabulous, that you must go look at, right this minute!


That, my friends, is the comet detail of an appliqued and embroidered quilt of the solar system. It was made by Ellen Harding Baker in 1876 for use as a visual aid in the astronomy lectures she gave. (That's not a typo - it's 133 years old.) The quilt is on display at the Smithsonian. If you have the chance. go see it in person, and let me know to what works it inspires you!

-Carin-

P.S. Happy Imbolc! :)

Labels: applique, carin, embroidery, history, quilting

With a scant few days to spare [or, at least there was when I started writing this post], the Imbolc issue of The AntiCraft has arrived, full of hearty foods to sustain you while your body begs to hibernate during the coldest and greyest parts of winter.

As I said in this issue's letter, "There are plenty of plans buzzing around Headquarters right now, it's one of the things I love about the Imbolc issue, no matter how difficult it likes to make itself. January just sort of cackles with potential, doesn't it?" So tell me about your plans!



Anyway, enjoy it muchly. The Beltane issue is already 100% planned and the editors and I are about to jump in to working on it! Craziness abounds around HQ! We love it.

Kisses and craftiness,
.:Zabet

Labels: current issue, imbolc10, zabet

Here is why you should love my friend Janis: She is The AntiCraft's Ravelry editor, which means that I can avoid the huge timesuck that is Ravelry (don't get me wrong, I love it, but I could spend waaaaay too many hours there just in my own notebook), yet all knitting and crochet patterns that pass through HQ's hallowed halls still make it onto Rav's hallowed pages. (Don't know what Ravelry is? Where have you been, under a rock? Short answer: it's crack for fiber artists.)

Also, sometimes Janis has forethought, which is very helpful because mine is often on the fritz. Other times, she simply reads The AntiCraft group's board and reports back when others have forethought. Thank you, Rogue, for reminding us about the Ravelympics! Without your forethought and Janis' dedication, there was a 99.9% chance that once again, Team Angstylvania would be "unofficial" and we'd have to all stand around embarrassed, pretending we did it on purpose because we are just that cool. (Obviously, we're not.)

So, to make a long post short—better late than never, I suppose—I'm pleased to announce that Team Angstylvania is officially part of the 2010 Ravelympics. Whether or not we bother to participate after signing up is kind of a coin toss, but if you do want to participate, check out the Ravelmpics thread. Earwax, ho!

Labels: Ravelry, Ravelympics, zabet

Thanks for all the well-wishes; wouldn't you know that right as I was getting better my husband caught it? Jeez. All healthy now, though, just with a lingering cough, which means we're back to shipping out books and all other orders!

We've has sold books in all but 15 states. There are 18 books left. Coincidence? I think not. (Arkansas, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming, in case you are wondering.)

I mean, Hawaii I get. Who wants to knit with wool or wear black there? But Kansas, oh Kansas. Every autumn you prove to me you can be awesome if you just try, but now this? The woe, the betrayal! And Wyoming, don't you remember when I came to visit and (in theory) ride horses in 1982, before I knew I had a severe allergy and the beasts would kill me? Don't you still love me?

Also, I promise the Imbolc issue will be up before Imbolc. Stick a needle in my eye!

Labels: book, imbolc10, swag, zabet

Flu.

Labels: zabet

Just an FYI for folks who might be ordering things: The AntiCraft is closing down HQ from December 31st to January 3rd. We'll send emails/ship stuff as soon as we get back from rural North Carolina.

I don't know about y'all, but 2009 was pretty rough for most of my loved ones. 2010 cannot get here fast enough. Let's all focus on making 2010 the Best. Year. EVER.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Labels: zabet

A few things left from Bazaar Bizarre are now available for purchase at the post-Christmas sale.

You can only get there by clicking here, so click already!
(opens in a new window)

Quantities are limited. First in-the-inbox, first served!

Labels: swag, want, zabet

Running out of time but still want to give handmade gifts? Come visit the West Cleveland Bazaar Bizarre and save your sanity without compromising your standards. All manner of handmade goods will abound!

I'm bringing ornaments, books, and stickers. Rebecca will have creepy Santa eyeballs and goodness only knows what else. Robyn is bringing her hand-blended batts and hand dyed yarns. There will probably also be baby onsies in the mix as well as the occasional knitted or crocheted cap. It'll be a fun time, so come on out and shop indie/handmade/relatively local with us!

When:
Sat, Dec 12, noon-9pm
Sun, Dec 13, noon-6pm

Where:
78th Street Studios
1300 W. 78th St.
Cleveland, OH

Vendors:
Click here for list.

More Info:
bazaarbizarre.org

Labels: consumerism, zabet

Enjoy!

Labels: samhain09, surprise, yule, zabet

I feel like all I do lately is encourage folks to buy things, and it's beginning to make me feel dirty. But I'm so in love with our new holiday card design that I can't not share it. What's a girl to do?

AntiCrafters living in the US: If you buy 25 or more Zazzle greeting card, note card, postcard, invitation, or photo card products (from any Zazzle store, not just The AntiCraft), you can get free ground shipping now until December 31st. Enter promo code FREECARDSHIP at checkout to receive the free shipping.



And I can't leave out our other holiday cards.

Labels: consumerism, zabet

Lest we forget!

Coming from the current issue, we have realized the White Witch is right after all: it is dull to drink without eating. Therefore, in case you haven't sussed it yet, the upcoming issue of The AntiCraft is all about comfort food and the accoutrements on the table or in the kitchen that make it happen. We know most of you pull out all the stops during the holiday season and we invite you to submit your must-have recipes, special tabletop touches, and crafty kitchen projects.

Submissions should preferably be in by December 20, but we can probably stretch it until the 26th. Please be sure to check out the new (and hopefully improved) Submission Guidelines.

Look for the Imbolc 2010 issue to be out around January 9th; we'll make an announcement when it's available!

Labels: imbolc10, submit, zabet

You now how your own book order button under the book tab. The price is $16.76 (~£10), including shipping. Enjoy!

Labels: book, swag, zabet

When life gives me lemons, I turn off all the lights, listen to The Cure for 24 hours straight, and write horrible poetry on black paper with black ink while I weep black mascara tears all over it. Then I go make narcotic lemonade.

I got a letter from our publisher saying that they have found themselves in an "overstock situation" with Anticraft: Knitting, Stitching, and Beading for the Slightly Sinister (really, I will never stop hating that subtitle). So, the bad news is that it will not be reprinted, but the GOOD NEWS is that I was able to buy 150 deeply discounted copies, which I will in turn sell to you, signed and personalized. I will even go so far as to steal a page from Amanda Palmer and Om Nom Nom on them if you so desire, despite the warning I put in the back of the book about NOT LICKING IT because it was printed in China so Gods only know what might be on it. That's right, I'm totally putting my personal health at risk FOR YOU. That's love, baby.

We ordered the books Friday morning, and they will reach HQ in 10 business days. Which means that you can preorder a personalized book right now and have your holiday shopping done and out of the way in a trice, and we'll ship it out as soon as we have them in our hot little hands. Aren't we so helpful?

Profits from these book sales are going to be put into a savings account to one day fund... are you ready for it? ANTICON. Coming in the next 24-36 months or so to a city probably not very near you (and very likely in Ohio, unless Carin manages to put together AntiCon West first, in which case it will be somewhere nearish to San Francisco), so start saving now for your airfare!

And speaking of holiday shopping, if you want to give a gift to us, you can totally shop via our Amazon.com portal on the Materialism page, where we'll get little kickbacks for anything you buy. Not that you shouldn't buy local (BUY LOCAL!!!!), but when you can't get it local and have to shop online anyway, you can enter Amazon through our portal, get whatever you like, and we get a little kickback. It's all sorts of awesome.

Labels: book, swag, zabet

I have just realized that in the post about the trivets and hotpads contest I didn't exactly spell out that it's a crafting contest, did I? Prob'ly should have run that past the other editors before posting, eh? Whoops!

Anyway, the nitty gritty details are:

1. CRAFT your trivet/hotpad out of any medium.

2. SEND your photos to submit@theanticraft.com by 11:59pm EST, December 10, 2009.

3. If you win, we'll need your INSTRUCTIONS by December 20 so that we can publish them in the next issue!

4. Get fabulous prizes!

Labels: contest, imbolc10, zabet