(Inside A Black Apple)

He Did it!

We went to see Sweeney Todd on opening weekend, I was so, so elated. I left the theater flipping out with happiness and relief, 'cause Tim really pulled it off.
In fact, I hope that as the movie wrapped, he was singing to himself Henry Higgins' song from My Fair Lady: "I did it, I did it...I said that I would do it, and indeed I did" (or something to that effect).

On the second viewing this past weekend, I was even more pleased. The clothes are incredible (that Colleen Atwood is really something else...she designed the clothes for one of my favorite clothes-movies, Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events). She also designed costumes for many other Tim Burton classics like Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, etc.
The HBC is wonderful, wonderful, and Mister Depp is too. So is the little guttersnipe that plays Toby. And Alan Rickman, who is always a dream. If you aren't afraid of Hammer-style comical bloodletting, you must get yourself to the cineplex and see for yourself!

Thanks, Tim Burton! It was one of my very favorite Christmas presents.

And Happy New Year, dear applets!
I have to go get cracking on the food and drinks I promised would be availed to our friends later on this evening.
I have silly party hats. But I think they'll still want food.

You are My Needles and Pins

A new print for the shop.

A new year on the way.

A new coat of paint for the studio, also.

A brand-new chance to be a better apple at every turn.

Sugar Shack

I love my mom and sister so much. They came to my apartment on Tuesday to make our annual gingerbread house (which is actually more of a candy-yard-art-assemblage of sorts).

The finished product...our house was so small that we had to use up lots of the candy on bushes and trees and things:

I am particularly proud of that nonpareil tree there!

Well, the shop has been put to sleep for the first time in history, and Josiah and I are leaving today for holiday visiting with both of our families. This is the first time the shop has been closed the whole time I've had it.

I'm very excited for Christmas to finally be here. I can't wait! I hope all you applets have the most wonderful of holidays, and I'll see you after the big day.

See you soon  & xoxo

Babette!

I am really, really crazy for my new poupee that just arrived from the amazing shop Le Train Fantome.

I am equally crazy for the beautiful, beautiful packaging she arrived in.
Stamping on cloth is so cool (as is that bandit sticker).

Dang.
I love it when people humble me like this. It is one of my most favorite feelings.

Happy one-week-til-Christmas!

Handmade 2.0

In case you haven't read it yet, there is a really thoughtful and articulate article on Etsy in today's New York Times! So exciting. We picked up the very last copy at Borders today!

It's right here, and the fourth (and last) section of the piece is mostly about yours truly. It's a good read and the guy, Rob, who wrote it is a good egg!

xoxo

To my Squirrel on Wheels...

I found this sweet pull-toy drummer at my favorite old-things store a few days ago:

You might think he was made in Japan in the 60's, but according to the sticker on his underside, he is actually from  Belarus originally! I really love pull toys...I've been looking for the perfect dog-on-wheels for a while now (maybe ever since I heard the Belle & Sebastian song).

Happy Weekend!

By the Chimney...er..Doorway

I can't believe Christmas is so soon!
Why is it that you always feel you're so on top of things, and then suddenly, it's only a week and some change away?!
This apartment is very excited about Christmas this year...very.

And I do mean all of us:

The stockings were hung (the sweatery and the personalized) the other day, and they really sweetened up the already sweet + cozy living room.

I made these felted-sweater stockings last year, so they might look familiar!

I didn't have a stocking here (I have one that my mom made me that lives at her house), but Josiah did, so we needed to fix that pronto. I put some pretty polka-dot cotton and red wool felt together (making it resemble a sort of giant sock) and embroidered the pieces. After it was all pinned together, Josiah sewed it up...it was his first time using a sewing machine, and I must say, he did a top-notch job.

Here are the two "real" stockings:

I made Josiah's last year...it's made from suiting fabric and a beautiful red velvet.

*Sigh*
It's really here, folks (Christmas, that is).

The Black Apple is still busy, busy trying to get out holiday orders...but I'm going to sneak in plenty of gift-sewing and podcast listening today. I am very excited about this prospect.

PS: Thanks for all the embroidered-poppy love!
I'm glad to hear that french knots have given others the fits before. There were lots of requests for the lucid diagram I used, but I honestly couldn't find it. However, as suggested by Jill, there is a magnificent french knot diagram over at the lovely Primrose Design (right here). What a great resource!

 

The Saga of the French Knot, or, Felt Poppies

My Christmas gift-making is in full swing right now, and I have one completed gift under my belt. It's for someone who I don't think really reads this blog, so it seems safe to show a little snippet of it:

I really love the big roundy-mod flowers, and I thought it would be neat for some of them to have little french-knot speckled centers (so they would appear like seeds).
Embroidery stitches are, for me, the opposite of riding a bike. If I haven't done one in, oh, say the last week, then I have likely forgotten the "trick" of each one.
I worked on this present last Thursday night whilst watching a movie, and executed some lovely little french knots with minimal blood, sweat and tears involved. So naturally, when we went on a long car trip the very next day, I though I could take the project along and embroider while in transit. And I totally forgot how to do the darn french knot and spent, I AM NOT KIDDING HERE FRIENDS, the next two hours attempting it with 0% success! I worked til' my fingers were bruised and my resolve was gone (and we finally reached our destination).

Upon returning home, I went through every french knot diagram I could find, both in my books and online (including a really unhelpful Youtube video tutorial).
Finally, it happened.
I found a really lucid, non-nonsense diagram that illustrated it perfectly, and I did it! I made like, 20, just to be sure I had the hang of it.

But, you know...that was 5 days ago.
I'm pretty sure I've forgotten the darn thing again.

Happy Wednesday, sweet applets! I hope everyone's Christmas plans are coming together nicely.

Tees in the shop!

The tees are right here!

Blue Moon Tee

These pretty, pretty tees will be going up for sale in the shop tomorrow afternoon.
It's the "Big Moon" image in a different colorway (hence the title of the post!). They're beautifully soft 100% organic American Apparel tees, and I think they're my favorite Black Apple tees yet! I'll have just around 6-8 of each size (in S, M, L, and XL).