Discriminating Weirdos

Want-able Weirdness

I have always been drawn to the strange things in life, so it should be no surprise that many of my embroidery pieces fall into that category.  Yes, I'm still adding to the series of pieces inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft.  I went through an eyeball phase, and frankly, embroidery on neckties is strange in itself.

Every once in a while I stumble upon some embroidery that surprises even me with its strangeness.  Some of the abstract pieces I've seen are odd, but I don't include abstracts in the "strange" category.  Strange to me is a piece that makes people wonder why it was done.  Embroidery is time consuming and hard on the eyes.  It takes real dedication to finish larger pieces, and Lookability definitely has that dedication.

There are three pieces of embroidery in the Lookability shop on Etsy, and all three are strange (in a good way).  For example, check out what I found when I searched George Bush. Take a close look at the face on this George Bush piece.  There are a lot of stitches.  Believe me, there are enough stitches here to show dedication.  Combine that with the time it took to back the piece and the way the word balloon curves around the edge of the finished project and you've got something I would call Want-able Weirdness.  It's so strange that you want it.

The same can be said for Embroidered Girl Who Loves Iambic Pentameter.  It took quite a bit of time to finish this piece.  There is a lot of stitching in the face, and the detail is pretty extreme.  There is a necklace, and the clothing is made of some sort of mesh.  On top of the whole thing, iambic pentameter plays a large role in the finished item.

The more I look at these two pieces, the more Want-ably Weird they get.  Both characters are talking to you, but neither one is actually looking at you.  They are looking just past you, as if they see something coming up behind you, but can't decide if they should say anything.  And I don't know about you, but there's something about a man in a vest that seems a little unsavory (unless it's the banjo player at Shakey's Pizza).

So congratulations, Lookability!  You have officially achieved Want-able Weirdness! (ADAM)

Thanks Jenna and Andy Krueger for the Craftstravaganza!

Just one more post about the St Paul Craftstravaganza.  This one's really important. 

Jenna and Andy Krueger have been putting this thing together for the past three years, and they need a thorough thanking.  It's not an easy task to deal with event planning.  I've done enough of it to know that it is extremely difficult to juggle the needs of 6 artists... much less 80. 

They do an exceptional job.  The event has been bump-free despite some really very problematic weather.  All of that background stuff is really hard, and they have it down. 

The event also has vision.  The Indie Craft/DIY movement (or however you want to say it) is changing.  I've been to several events that haven't really figured out how to make the vision grow in a healthy fashion.  Jenna and Andy don't seem to be having these problems.  They've managed to make this fair into something new every year. 

Yes, the "anyone can do it" attitude is still there.  But there's the "wow, how did they DO that?" as well. 

And not an overwhelming number of owls.  That's a good thing. 

Thanks so much for all you've done Jenna and Andy! 

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In other Moe news: I grout tomorrow.  Wish me luck.  (Emily)

Brrrrrrrrrrr...

Minnesota is the birthplace of Paul Bunyan, the home of the biggest ball of twine in the world, and the only state that starts with the letter M (unless you count Montana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, Mississippi, and Maine).  Professional wrestling and Bob Dylan are both synonymous with Minnesota, and if you're a fan of self-important radio, you'll know that Garrison Keillor calls Minnesota home, unless he's living somewhere else.

But now Minnesota has added a new title to its long list of accomplishments.  It is officially the home of the Coldest Craft Show In The World!

Regular readers know that Em and I were vendors at the Craftstravaganza in St. Paul last Saturday, a show which we have attended since the very beginning three years ago.  Andy and Jenna Krueger (more on those two rascals and the fine job they do in tomorrow's entry).  It is really a great show -- friendly, well-organized, and with a wide variety of crafts for every budget.

The unfortunate thing is that the Gods of Minnesota Weather don't seem to take a shine to the idea of St. Paul getting in on the DIY movement.  Two of the three Craftstavaganzas (or Craftstravaganzi?) have been really hard on the vendors because of weather.  Last year was 70 degrees and sunny with a light breeze, a great relief after the previous year's Moe-meltingly hot (at least 100 degrees on the floor) show.

This year, however, was one of the coldest days I have ever spent while wearing clothes.  We woke up to freezing temperatures, heavy gusts of wind, and snow.  By the time we arrived to finish setting up, it wasn't quite 30 degrees outside, and it was pretty chilly in the building.  Due to State Fairground rules, the barn-sized doors of the building had to be kept open during the show, and the temperature inside dropped steadily all morning.

By noon, even my plentiful fatty insulation had failed.  I was cold.  Very cold.  Numbingly cold. And Em was wearing a skirt.

Fortunately, a friend of ours was able to bring us blankets, mittens, and hot coffee.  She also brought wool socks and warmer shoes for Em, along with a few other things that helped to keep us warm.

Andy and Jenna, if you're reading this, I hope that everyone has told you what a great job you do organizing this show every year.  I've organized a lot of things in my life, and I know it's not easy.  You are great at making this thing happen in a quick, clean, organized manner.

I'm sure you've taken lots of hits for the weather, because it was... well... really uncomfortable.  But you and I know that there are some things that are out of your control. Hopefully everyone else knows that, too.  It's a fun show, and we'll likely be back if we are asked.  I just wish I could predict what we should pack.

Here are some photos from the event, including pictures of some of our display pieces.  Feel free to click them for a better look on our Flickr site. (Adam)