athenaweeena

I'm a crafting packrat with a 6' cabinet just for fabric, and an awesome old metal library card catalog to stash my ribbon, feathers, minis, beads, ect. I love LOVE learning new crafts and techniques. The smell of Mod Podge makes me smile and the sound of the sewing machine brings peace to my soul. I read over a dozen crafting, fashion, and sewing bogs because what inspires me the most is other people and their stories. I love the word FREE, and I'm a thrifty shopper. I won't skimp on quality, but I stock up when it's on sale.

This site is refreshing and I'm a newbie here. So, I'm going to sit back and watch, take things slow and see if I can find a little crafting home here.

sewing - gothic/sweet lolita - Japanese street fashion - steampunk -recycling/reuse/upcycle/redesign - bento - cottonwood bark carving - paper crafts - video game/rpg accessories - crochet - amigurumi - painting - cosplay - costuming - miniatures - paranormal everything - goth/ic - softies/dolls - boxes - poly clay - cat toys - building websites - fantasy decor - embroidery

What I don't craft. knitting - scrapbooking (although I do use many of the supplies for other things) - glass blowing - welding

Gargoyles of all shapes and sizes. I have 17 so far.

Mushroom paraphernalia. This collection is small right now, but toadstools make me smile, in any shape or form.

Fantasy decor. My favorite thing so far are some Amy Brown fairy note cards given to me that I framed. Second fav is a green man wall plaque that looks like he planning a trick on someone.

I have a fabric and plus size pattern stash, not sure that I should call it collecting though.

I also collect books. I work in a library and I'm a bibliophile. I love nonfiction paranormal and old crafting books best, and very tiny books. But, who am I kidding? I have 6 large bookcases in my house and they are all full. Let's not even talk about the boxes of books hidden under my bed. *chagrined

From my childhood, Super Grover. Not regular Grover, no no, but that crashing, clumsy, first superhero to steal my heart Super Grover. I am particularly interested in finding some Super Grover tattoo flash.

I used to collect shot glasses from around the country, but now I'm just looking to get rid of them. Sounds like a good swap right? Let me know if you see a swap for them.

These are the places I live online under the user name athenaweeena.

Facebook - Goodreads - Flickr - BurdaStyle - BSC Groups - Twitter - Etsy - Sewing Mamas - ThreadBanger - CraftStylish - Playlist

Here are more details about my sewing.

My favorite people to sew for are my daughters. They are adventurous in their fashion choices so I have the freedom to expand my imagination and then have the joy of seeing someone wear it! LOL I've been sewing since 1996, but still feel very much like a novice or tourist. I'm a plus size girl and I'm always looking for unique patterns in my size. Chubbies don't like to be frumpy you know. Currently my favorite projects are lolita and steampunk dresses and accessories. I love those little hats! I also really enjoy upcycling clothes from Goodwill. Both of my daughters own their own sewing machines and a future project will be making dress forms out of water activated packing tape from the tut on ThreadBanger. I run a small local sewing group that meets every three weeks and love the camaraderie it evokes in me. I love bold prints and there is something so wonderfully hypnotic about a small repeated pattern on fabric. I feel strongly that a silhouette should be simple if the fabric is busy and vice versa.

Here are more details about my miniatures.

I am currently finishing the dollhouse I've been working on since 2003. It's called the Witches Cupboard and it's an occult shop. I've had such a blast building and decorating it that I'm sad it's almost over. I've made a lot of what is in it and I'm a little proud of my jar of leeches. I need to take final pics of it and post them to my website, but I just keep finding new things to make and put in it. Last thing I made for it was a cage with a tribble (from Star Trek) in it.

My next dollhouse, which I have the kit for already (thank you mom and Paul), is going to be a bordello. Modern with themed rooms. I go into more detail on my website. I knew I wanted to do this dollhouse years ago and have been slowly collecting things for it.

I also work on other miniatures, like mini fairy doors, shadow and cubby boxes, and using minis to make jewelry. Nothing is cuter than a little tea pot on your bracelet.

Eye's wide and always searching for these things where ever I go.

Items that I can use in my miniatures, like small weapons (action figures have great weapons!!), pictures I could frame (I usually get mine from books), tiny things to fill mini jars with (like real snakeskin and tiny dried flowers), random items that are tiny.

Old fashioned keys of any size or design. I have one that is less than a cm and another that is 3 feet long. I don't really collect these because I use them in crafts and gift them away.

Feathers. Feathers. Feathers.

Really tall/wide lace, like 5" plus lace. Hard stuff to find.

Skull, zombie, and vampire buttons, beads, pendants, ribbon, material, patches, pins, jewelry, nail decals, well you get the picture.

Cogs, watch parts, little metal dodas, broken jewelry. Interesting things I can use for steampunk accessories.

Funky embroidery and crochet patterns like pinup girls, video game characters, tattoo designs, as listed above; skull, zombie and vampire anything, or contemporary themes.