thoughts by sarahhoo

new blog! and Crafty Wonderland

2011-12-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Hi all. I've developed and launched my new website and blog and wanted to point you in the right direction. From now on, you can find all your sarahhoo related information here, at sarahhoo.com.

But just in case you don't have time to hit that link, I wanted to let you know I'll be at the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale this weekend in Portland, Oregon selling my crocheted toys and jewelry. I look forward to see you there! Cheers!

Mississippi Street Fair this Saturday

2011-07-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Hope your Independence Day was super! I spent mine out in the country with a sweet dog and some mean grilled veg. Mmm hmm.

This weekend is the annual Mississippi Street Fair on Saturday, July 9th. A full day of delicious food, local music and amazing handmade vendors that decorate the entire street from 11am to 9pm.

gifts by sarahhoo will be there with my long time friend and fellow crafter, Michelle Summers. Michelle makes beautiful porcelain dishware which she decorates with intricate, quirky drawings and stamps. You can check out her work on her blog: http://michmashceramics.blogspot.com. You've got to see Michelle's work before she heads off to Minnesota for grad school. This may be her last craft fair in Portland.

Also, pop by to check out some of my latest designs in jewelry. Native-American inspired earrings and stone fan necklaces. We'll be close to the top of the hill near Skidmore. Find us under a tan tent and grab some shade while you shop. See you this weekend!

what i've been up to

2011-05-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

long time, no post. here's what i've been up to:

getting ready for this awesome shindig. crafty wonderland super colossal spring sale, happens this weekend, one day only, may 7th at oregon convention center.

and working long, hard hours on this amazing feature length film.
ParaNorman from Focus Features and LAIKA.

Mr. Peanut and Alejandro Almond

2011-03-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

While working at LAIKA House, I worked on a new stop-motion animated series of commercials for Planter's Peanuts. This is the latest commercial from the campaign, which introduces the newest nut, Alejandro Almond.

I made the stone mold for Alejandro and the silicone molds for the giant Beetle. I also made the armature for the beetle using brass tubing, steel nuts and a combination of steel and aluminum wires.

Joanna Priestley's latest short film "Eye Liner"

2011-02-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

Friend and renowned animator, Johanna Priestly, had the international premiere of her latest animated short film, Eye Liner, at the Portland International Film Festival. Her film playfully explores the archetypes of the face.

My favorite parts are the use of color, the amoeba things that sprout hair (pretty much all the sprouty stuff), and the intriguing sound design by Seth Norman.

SALE on dwelling decor by sarahhoo

2011-02-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

Out with the old and soon to be in with the new. dwelling decor by sarahhoo is currently on SALE. Take $5 OFF each pillow or pillow sham. I gotta make room for new merchandise.

Price adjustments have already been made to the listing. Take advantage of this sweet offer.

trunk show thank yous

2011-02-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hello all. What a wonderful time we had at the Artisan Trunk Show last Saturday! Thanks to everyone who came out to support locally handmade goodies. A big thanks to Brian Rumberger for allowing us to use his home! Another big thank you to Gayle Griffin for the suggestion. Thank you to Jen P for helping me set up my table. Thanks to Julius for making signs. Thanks to the participates!! Barb of CiaoBirdieDesigns, Kathy of Lotus Monkey, Cindy of Waist-Knot and Sarah of Gifts by sarahhoo!

Here are some pictures from the event. I'll be sure to let you know about our next event.

Artisan Trunk Show in Portland, OR Feb 5th

2011-01-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

another happy customer!

2011-01-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

This is Sage. Sage is a sweetie. Thanks to Randy and Lisa for this awesome pics of Sage with her pet lion!

some of the latest in jewelry from sarahhoo

2011-01-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

i've been busy getting the new year started with some brand new jewelry designs. here are two of my favorites (for more, go to my etsy page at sarahhoo.etsy.com)

Ruby Autumn Leaves Dangle Earrings - $22
Even though it's cold outside and the leaves have fallen, you can still pretend it's autumn.

Abacus Statement Necklace with Black Glass and Hematite - $34
Inspired by a beautiful abacus I found at a vintage store.

little roses - appreciation photo

2010-12-31T15:28:00.001-08:00

i crocheted these cute little roses for a customer. she wanted to "girly up" her daughter's hand-felted Christmas slippers. aren't they precious? thanks april for the great photos!

first pattern uploaded to ravelry

2010-12-29T15:22:00.000-08:00

I've uploaded my debut pattern to Ravelry. For those of you who do not know what Ravelry is, it's a community of yarn-loving hookers and knitters who collect free patterns available online and upload their own personal patterns for download. It's quite the scene and I've very excited to be a part of it.

The pattern is for an Amigurumi-style Great Blue Whale "Yarble". The design is my own original and is a fairly easy pattern to follow. You can purchase it directly using the button below.

For those of you who do not want to or don't have the ability to crochet, have no fear, for I sell this very same blue whale on my etsy site: Amigurumi Undersea Blue Whale Yarble

15% OFF "Last Minute" Etsy Sale

2010-12-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Crafty Wonderland this weekend. What a lot of fun and handmade goodness! The 2-day event boasts near 12,000 people in attendance. An amazing turn out.

For those of you who were unable to make it this weekend, I have a special Coupon which I'm offering online via Etsy. Take 15% OFF your entire order using Coupon Code "LASTMINUTE2010". Your item is guaranteed to arrive by Christmas Eve if mailed to the United States. The sale ends on December 18th so act now! Happy holidays!

sarahhoo.etsy.com

Amazing animated short film

2010-12-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

Really beautiful animation and unique new form to an old technique. I have aspirations to make a top-motion film that is entirely dance some day. This is great inspiration. I'd mute it and just listen to your own sentimental music while watching, though.

Thought of You from Ryan Woodward on Vimeo.

Crafty Wonderland and article in Nylon Magazine

2010-12-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

Big event on the horizon coming next weekend.

gifts by sarahhoo & Waist-Knot at
Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale
Oregon Convention Center
Dec 11-12, 10am-5pm
Booth # 222

Me, sarahhoo, and Waist-Knot will be in booth #222. Easy enough to remember. Come by and check out the new merch. Mention this ad and get 15% OFF any one item at my booth. Just say, "Hey, I saw that you'd be at Crafty Wonderland 'cause your blog. Awesome!" and bam! 15% OFF. Just like that.

* * * * *

Other awesome news. My Yarbles got their own little close-up shot in November's Nylon Magazine. There was an article about ,Tender Loving Empire, awesome mom and pop handmade/music shop in Portland. Check out the article below and marvel at my Yarbles in the upper right-hand corner.

sarahhoo Etsy Sale! 15% all items from now until Sunday!

2010-11-26T19:27:00.001-08:00

is having a Etsy Sale now through Sunday! 15% off all items with coupon code: BlackFriday2010. Check it out and find a gift for you or a loved one.
http://sarahhoo.etsy.com/

MasterCard spot

2010-11-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

I had a fun time working with Bent Image Lab on this spot a few weeks ago. I animated Shots 1 and 2. Gotta love emulating Rankin and Bass style animation. Oh! And I especially love the "Hangover" tribute near the end. Haha.

crafty wonderland - dec 11 and 12th

2010-11-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

it's coming, the crafty wonderland super colossal holiday sale. december 11th and 12th. 11am to 5pm. i'll be there. you should come visit me. in the meantime, check out this crafty video.

it's been a long time...

2010-10-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

and i hate this idea, but really. i gotta get a vote going. which etsy crocheted animal do you prefer?

stuffed brown hedgehog

OR

furry hedgehog

and why?

colombian cluster necklace

2010-06-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the first inspiration from the awesome beads that Maya brought back from Colombia for me. I'm pretty proud of how it turned out. Stay tuned for more to come.

Colombian Seed Cluster Necklace

* * * * *

Downtown Portland for lunch on a Wednesday? Check this out while you're there.

buzz feed

2010-06-28T22:32:00.001-07:00

Just got word (via Google Analytics) that one of my creations was featured on a site called BuzzFeed. I've heard of it before because my roommate, Andrew, checks it out often (he's got a love/hate relationship with the site). It's one of my newly embroidered ties featuring Link from Legend of Zelda. Anywho, check it out. Also, I'm the second listing. Cheers!

Etsy Ties For Father's Day via BuzzFeed

Inspirations from Colombia

2010-06-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

My friend, Maya, just got back to the states from her home country of Colombia. Along with her, she brought a plethora of awesome Colombian made beads so that I may use them in my jewelry and crafts. What a sweetheart! The coolest part about these beads is that they are all made from fruit, yah, you heard me right. Check out these beautiful handmade creations.

Made from peach pits	Made from seeds
Pretty flowers made from orange peels	See the backs of the orange peels?

Made from the seed of a Tawa Fruit, pictured below.

Thanks Maya! Stay tuned for what I make out of these awesome bits of the world.

Tender Loving Empire - Online Commercial

2010-06-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll. Here's a commercial for Tender Loving Empire (or TLE for short). They accepted my Yarbles into their awesome store so I figure, a little internet promotion never hurt. Check it out!

hear ye, hear ye, yables at milagros!

2010-06-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

Another post about Yarble consignment in Portland. This time it is with Milagros Boutique, located at 5433 NE 30th Avenue, Portland OR, 97211. They feature great fair-trade and handmade items. Pretty kickin'. They also have community nights with singer-songwriters, magic shows and the like. Pop by if you're in the mood for fun kid stuff.

consignment, treasuries and yarbles - oh my!

2010-06-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

More great news in the Yarble front. I am now consigning at Tender Loving Empire. A hip, cool shop in downtown Portland that promotes locally made music, toys, jewelry and more. Another great opportunity to get my name out there.

* * * * *

Also have been picked to be in a couple more treasuries on etsy.

"Happy Kitchen" by petekdesign and "Be Brave" by sissysparrows

Check those treasuries out, for sheezy.

Piccolina accepts YARBLES by Lever & Lace into their store!

2010-06-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

Really exciting news. My Yarbles (orginal designs of amigurumi animals and gnomes) are now for sale at Piccolina, a precious new and resale children's and materinity store. I can't wait to see how well they do there. Sarah, the owner, is great and super enthusiastic about her work. What a great reception when I walked in today with my basket full of Yarbles!

If you're in the SE Portland (2700 SE 26th Ave, Portland, OR 97202) anytime soon, go check them out 'cause they're going to sell like hotcakes!

Sarah, the owner of Piccolina, cuddles with my Yarbles

* * * * *

Another excited bit of news is I was featured on another member curated treasury on etsy. This one is called "You Bring Out the Kid in Me" by MySelvagedLife. It is one of the best treasuries I've seen and I'm really proud to be a part of it. Check it out before the treasury closes!

a little bit of green...

2010-05-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

Rainy spring weather got you feeling blue? Looking for a little bit of green in your life? How about a set of these awesome crocheted dish towels shaped like leaves. Perfect to put a spring in your step. :)

For sale on Etsy by Lever & Lace

Etsy promotions...

2010-05-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Another update about people who have blogged and promoted me on Etsy. Yay! I love that others like my work, it makes me feel all squishy inside.

Check out MayDae, a crafty sister duo blog. They've chosen my Felt Feather earrings (pictured below) for their spring earrings selection. The link is here (I'm toward the bottom).

Also, for those of you who have an etsy account, you can check out this awesome treasury I was selected for... Fly created by user, LarqueByjason, who makes awesome jewelry out of feathers and fishing tackle.

To get you pumped for the World Cup...

2010-05-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

Here's yet another awesome commercial for Nike from Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam.

My latest in Amigurumi Yarble wonder...

2010-05-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Pretty stoked about these little guys...

Stewart is clever. Gary is grand. Forrest is free-spirited. Percy is wise. Gwen is kind. Together they are Woodland Yarble Gnomes.

Go here for the group listing, or here for general Yarble listings.

I hope you like them.

new necklace and what's up this weekend

2010-05-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Way to excited about this necklace... gotta spread the love.

Whimsical Fairy Necklace with Vintage Beads

Also, wanted to throw out a reminder about the first ever Crafty PDX Sale this weekend. It's at Urban Grind in NE Portland from 10am until 4pm. I've got some really great new work that you've got to come see. Cheers!

Saturday, May 22nd from 10:00am – 4:00pm at Urban Grind, 2214 NE Oregon ST, Portland Oregon. Shop local handmade goods from some of Portland’s best artists and crafters! Urban Grind is spacious and bright, this event will have seating area’s, 2 play rooms, a ping pong room, coloring station and a huge selection of tasty treats to eat and drink.

My shop was featured on the front page of Etsy.com!

2010-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Exciting news and it's a first for me. :) My shop was featured on the front page of etsy.com yesterday at something like, 2:30 am. Ha! So great. I can't wait to be featured again. Yehaw!

my dish towels featured on blog

2010-05-17T11:21:00.001-07:00

great news. i received a message from mavisandfrank on etsy this morning, letting me know that some of my dish towels were featured on their blog. :)

she has an entry all about asparagus, specifically, a blanched pearly white stalk that is created by burying the growing asparagus stalks under more sandy dirt.

her entry includs resipes and links so check it out here: adding some spargel to life.

thanks mavisandfrank!

Also at the Art Hop... African Relief

2010-05-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

A few of my college buddies started a non-profit, Handz, to raise money to help children and women in Zambia, Africa. They will be at the Alberta Art Hop selling fair trade handmade goods. Awesome crocheted shawls, copper bracelets, and woven baskets/rugs, among other things.

So why don't you drop by the Art Hop and support those who support others. :)

Lever & Lace at the Alberta Art Hop

2010-05-12T11:33:00.001-07:00

Hey fans! Latest news. Lever & Lace and Waist-Knot will be at the Alberta Art Hop this Saturday, May 15th in the Co-Op Grocery parking lot on the corner of 15th. The street will be closed to vehicles from 10am to 7pm, which means bicycles and pedestrians will TAKE OVER! Come support local art, craft and performance art at this awesome event!

Hope to see you there.

For more info, check out the Art Hop website.

crafty pdx - local handmade goods

2010-05-06T14:07:00.001-07:00

Join us as Urban Grind on May 22nd for the debut of Crafty PDX Sale! Grab a cup of joe and peruse from many handmade vendors from the Portland area. It'll be awesome.

Saturday, May 22nd from 10:00am – 4:00pm at Urban Grind, 2214 NE Oregon ST, Portland Oregon. Shop local handmade goods from some of Portland’s best artists and crafters! Urban Grind is spacious and bright, this event will have seating area’s, 2 play rooms, a ping pong room, coloring station and a huge selection of tasty treats to eat and drink.

our booth and our next crafty adventure

2010-05-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Crafty Wonderland's first Super Colossal Spring Sale is now over. Cindy and I did fairly well, although, we did notice a significant difference in the spending habits of humans during the Christmas season versus the weekend before Mother's Day. Overall, we had a great time and really liked doing a 2-day crafty event. We also look forward to the Winter Sale, which will be 2-days, as well.

Here is a photo of our booth:

Look for us in a couple weeks on Saturday, May 15th on Alberta Street for the Art Hop. We will be joined by other handmade vendors in the parking lot of the Alberta Co-op Grocery. Rain or shine. Can't wait to see you!

Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Spring Craft Sale - This Weekend!

2010-04-26T15:27:00.001-07:00

Hey there! Inviting you to the Crafty Wonderland Spring Sale this weekend at the Oregon Convention Center. Join me and 200 other artisans in celebrating handcrafted awesome. Mention this ad and receive 10% OFF any one item in my shop. Admission is free. See below for details. Hope to see you there!

Lever & Lace is inspired by the beauty of nature, the mechanism of industry and life's quirks. The work incorporates crochet, found objects and vintage elements to make handmade toys, jewelry, and accessories for women, men and children.

crocheted wang

2010-03-25T13:19:00.001-07:00

in two forms. both with function! amazing. i'm so jealous i didn't think of these first.

Made In England blog - Crocheted Strap-On
apparently it is used to help people learn how to spot lumps that are potential tumors...

Man Handles by ayarnnut

Ok Go music video inspired by Rube Goldberg

2010-03-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

Here is another awesome video, which my friend Eric, turned me on to. It's OK Go's latest and if you're at all familiar with their videos, you know they're pretty fantastic.

70 Million - Hold Your Horses music video

2010-03-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

Awesomely weird music video that remakes famous pictorial paintings using real people. Awesome.

Spread the Fred - Rob Shaw's "The Machine"

2010-03-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

More publicity for Rob Shaw's "The Machine", a film I animated on.

"The Machine" on Spread the Fred

Definitely check it out because the more views it gets, the more likely Rob will win $200. :)

A Timeless Treasury

2010-02-25T11:01:00.001-08:00

I have been aching to make a "Treasury" on Etsy for a few weeks now. I finally got my chance. Most of the items I picked were found somewhere in my favorites. All of the items had a timeless quality about them. Clothes, paper goods, jewelry and altered art. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Timeless, A Treasury

the newest from Lever & Lace

2010-02-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

long time, no post. quess i've been too busy exploring new inspirations... i want to share a couple of them with you now.

a crocheted ivory and gold rose with turquette beads on a brass chain. (available on etsy with just a click)

a goofy crab yarble and my first foray into googly eyes! (available on etsy with just a click)

more yarble friends and even more designs to come soon.

So many posts in one day... Woodstock/Tribeca Film Festibal welcomes The MachinW

2010-01-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

Just got some awesome news from the kids at Bent. The Machine, directed by Rob Shaw and partially animated by myself, is going to be in the Woodstock/Tribeca Film Festival. It will be competing in the Animated Short division.

So if you're in New York on January 13th, go check it out! Bill Plympton and Signe Baumane will be in attendance.

Wish us luck!

lever & lace in my first store!

2010-01-11T17:17:00.001-08:00

Hey, I've got some great news. I have officially been accepted into my first store. It is Crossroads Collectibles, which is primarily a buy/sell/trade of records, DVDs and comics. Lucky for me, they wanted some local goodies as well.

Feel free to check them out if you're in the downtown Beaverton, Oregon area. They're located at 4680 SW Watson Ave, Beaverton, OR, 97005. Open daily beginning at 11am. Check out my earrings and yarbles, as well as their awesome selection of used (but well-treated) movies and music. Support an awesome local business!

finished swedish commission scarf

2010-01-11T14:51:00.000-08:00

well i've finished a scarf on commission (my first) and i think it turned out pretty awesome. it is for a new friend, eric, who is an awesome volvo mechanic who has a lot of love for the trade and for the country the car originates from.

it features the swedish flag and sweden's royal emblem, the three crowns.

it measures 12" wide and 74" long (excluding fringe). it's a super scarf for a super guy.

being viral is cool

2010-01-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

welcome to 2010, here's my first post for the new year.

go to the deli magazine website where one of my fave portland bands, soft tags, is up for "emerging local artist of the year". so why not vote for them. also, it's cool 'cause the website actually gives you a clip of music to listen to, which is tight.

go soft tags!

crafty wonderland update + gap commercial

2009-12-17T22:40:00.000-08:00

crafty wonderland was a grand success. so many of my friends came out and said hello, i sold quite a few items. i ended up with only 15 yarbles left in my 60's suitcase. i believe i started out with near 30. awesome. the 8-bit felted ties were also a hit. in general, it was a really great time and i think cindy and i are a good team, compliment each other well. we've got the feminine appeal with the funki/sexiness as well. thumbs up.

* * * * *

in other news, i'm not the only one who appreciates the new gap campaign.

Reminder: Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Craft Sale THIS WEEKEND

2009-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

Just a friendly reminder that it'd be awesome to see you at the Crafty Wonderland Holiday Craft Sale this Sunday from 11am-7pm at the Convention Center, Hall D, in Portland, Oregon. I'll be there with the lovely and talented Cindy Leitner of Waist Knot. She'll be selling handcrafted hostess aprons that are bloody amazing. I'll be there with my regular crocheted wares, along with some new additions to the Yarble collection and more gifts for men (like embellished ties and scarves). So pop by and check us out.

Diet Dr Pepper's "Unbelievable" in Running for Top Spot of the Year

2009-12-07T15:25:00.001-08:00

One of Bent's latest commercials is in the running for Shoot Magazine's Top Spot of the Year. Part of what determines who will win is voter opinion so I'm asking you to go online and vote Diet Dr. Pepper spot "Unbelievable" as the winner. Believe me, you won't regret it.

Vote here: Shoot Online Survey

Gap Does It Again

2009-12-02T22:11:00.001-08:00

Brilliant. Need I say more?

Eugene, Oregon - Emerald Park/River Park Holiday Craft Bazaar

2009-11-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all. Just a heads up that if you're in the Eugene (Oregon) area this weekend you should stop by my booth at the Emerald Park Craft Fair. Here's the details:

HOLIDAY BAZAAR
Saturday, December 5, 9am-4pm
Visit the 4th Annual River Road Holiday Market! A fantastic selection of handmade gifts, made by local artists at affordable prices. You’ll find something for everyone on your holiday list! Refreshments will be available. See you there! Held at River Road Park.

River Road Park & Recreation District
1400 Lake Drive
Eugene OR 97404

kanye west picks up "the machine" for his blog

2009-11-24T18:21:00.000-08:00

"the machine" directed by rob shaw and partially animated by myself, got picked up on kayne west's blog. weird, huh? his blog is pretty cool; mostly displaying hip, new design and architecture. check it out.

kanyeuniversecity.com/blog

Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Craft Sale

2009-11-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

I'll be there hocking my wares. Will you?

You'd better be.

fan appreciation

2009-11-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

so excited after working the siren nation art & craft sale this weekend, as i met some awesome people and even got a commission out of it. the commission went to a women based out of california who was in portland hanging with a friend of hers from college. she bought a giraffe yarble from me and asked for a bee. i thought, awesome, i've been wanting to make a bee, now i have an excuse. here is the result.

this was her response to photos of the bee that i sent via email,
"OMG he’s so CUTE! My daughter will LOVE him! She squealed when she saw my giraffe so I just know finding this little guy under the Christmas tree is going to be awesome.

THANK YOU so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

i'm pretty pleased. *beams*

crazy ass nokia

2009-11-11T21:46:00.001-08:00

and while on the subject of commercials for phone companies, here's a crazy ass viral from nokia. totally worth the wait.

the latest from bent - misfit toys!

2009-11-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

new specimen from bent image lab. verizon's sports the classic rankin & bass misfit toys in their new campaign.

i worked on puppet fabrication and as assistant animator. great work, team!

siren nation arrt and craft sale - this sunday!

2009-11-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

i'll be there, kennedy school, this sunday from 11am-5pm selling my wares. come check out the new stuff. yehaw!

New Additions on my Etsy Account!

2009-10-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

Looking for something awesome for a loved one or friend this holiday season? Got a hankering for something quirky yet beautifully crafted? Why not buy something handmade from my etsy account?

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
sarahhoo.etsy.com

Lever & Lace is comprised of two artists whose work is inspired by the beauty of nature, the mechanism of industry and everyday fashion. We incorporate crochet, found objects and vintage elements to make handmade jewelry, accessories and clothes for women and men.

And because you're my blogging friends I'll give you a special offer, just pop "BLOGGER" into the order form and I'll give you free shipping! It's that easy.

beware of the machine

2009-10-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

animated with director rob shaw, this short film preimered at anima mundi animation film festival in brazil and will be showing at ottawa's film festival later this month. i animated about 1/3 of it and I REALLY like it.

THE MACHINE from Bent Image Lab on Vimeo.

the most modest of mice

2009-10-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

hot new music video "the whale song" from modest mouse.
from bent image lab, directed by nando costa, lighting by bryce fortner, with exceptional effects work from brian kinkley, stop-motion animation by jen prokoplowics and many more.

"Whale Song" for Modest Mouse from Bent Image Lab on Vimeo.

procrastination is the spice of life

2009-09-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

i think some of your might agree with this assessment.
also, the technique of backlighting a piece of paper and drawing on it is pretty neat. some of the shorts looks slightly better than the others.

front post double crochet? no problem!

2009-09-29T12:27:00.001-07:00

learning something new every day. thank you internets.

animated film using old building and new paint

2009-09-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

not sure if it was intentional, but the video repeats itself halfways through. fair warning.

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

pencil animation

2009-09-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

saw this cute little animation with a silly song a few months ago. thought i should post it on here. enjoy!

Story from North America from Kirsten Lepore on Vimeo.

why things are the way they are

2009-09-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

via my roommate, andrew.

emo-core

2009-09-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago, i made my acting debut in a music video for the band, ash. the song is called "true love" from the album 1980 and the video was directed by the talented daniel garcia produced through bent image lab. check it or wreck it.

puppetry in the sea

2009-08-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

Dan Deacon - Paddling Ghost from Natalie van den Dungen on Vimeo.

the ghost puppetry is bloody amazing! gotta love low-budg. and i dig the song, in the style of animal collective.

lego animation

2009-08-24T21:54:00.000-07:00

things i like about this video: opening sequence, legos, 8-bit-ness homage, NES references

things i dislike: the black/white pixelated live action video, music, almost all of the last 45 seconds

brilliant

2009-08-15T14:41:00.001-07:00

i absolutely adore the dove people. awesome.

cartoons of old

2009-08-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

well, the 80's. could be older, i suppose.

i have been watching episodes of she-ra lately. what a show. i argued, with a coworker, that it is slightly sexist. my reasoning... when she-ra is a powerful, influential princess, she has a deep, almost manly voice. but when she is a mere mortal, she has a high-pitched, unintelligent sounding voice.

my friend said i was over-reacting.

i do want to mention, though, that she-ra has her merrits. like many cartoons during that time-period, the writers/producers appeared to truly care about giving children a moral message. and i appreciate that. also, i find it interesting that the animation of the humans is VERY simple, consisting primarily of mouth shapes and occasional turns of the head, whereas the animation of the little flying purple/orange character is MUCH more developed. was this on purpose or was the animator of that character significantly better than the other animators?

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check back soon for photos from my latest crochet/craft fair adventure.

the heat, the tremendous heat

2009-07-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

this is pretty much how it feels in portland right now.

the latest from bent image lab

2009-07-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

can you believe this is cg?

well, not all of it.

in fact, i worked on making gazillions of those little fir trees in the background. oh, AND! i animated the bid that got bent the job. granted, they didn't want to do the character as a stop-motion puppet made of paper but hell, it still looks awesome.

civilation - on loop

2009-07-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

recently featured on motionographer

go here: your eyes do not deceive you

it reminds me of a bosch painting.

introducing...

2009-07-17T14:48:00.001-07:00

my newly updated website.

sarahhoo.com
blah-dow. how you like me now?

big-ups to andrew zabel for his help with the site. word, yo.

hilarious short in the style of monty python

2009-07-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

caught this short from a friend via facebook. it's really quite funny.

and there's more to come on their blogspot: http://www.zeememe.blogspot.com/

long time no see

2009-07-15T12:28:00.001-07:00

hi there crochet, photography and advertising fans. my apologies for the lack in blog posts but as you know, it's summer and i'm just a sucker for summer. i've been galavanting about, working at Bent, and staying up too late in the evenings.

on the Lever & Lace front, kimi and i participated in the mississippi street fair this past saturday. our friend, cindy, also joined us with her wonderful aprons. we did better at this fair than we've done at any other. we had a great reception and actually came out in the positives. very awesome. lots of great crafts were at the fair and i met some really awesome people whom potentially may do some collaborative work with me. a ceramic artist and another crochet artist. moving on up. a special thanks to everyone who came and visited our booth and a very special thanks to those of you who helped up set-up and tear-down. us two chicks couldn't have done it without you (well, we could have, but it would have taken us longer and been more a pain in the butt, ha!)

we're going to be making more jewelry and accessories in the weeks to come. updating our etsy accounts as well as setting up shop in portland's newest thrift and junk store, lady bird's general store located on the corner of n alberta at n albina in portland, oregon. after we've set up shop there, i'll be sure to post something on my blog!

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this week's photo blog is paying homage to america's indepedence day. 4 summers ago, i attended a huge block party in the hawthorne district. we were treated with multiple bands, great bbq, illegal fireworks and several performers. here's a photo i took of a hula fire dancer.

darkness + fire + long exposure = quite the photographic treat, i think. :)

* * * * *

now i'm headed to fabric depot and michael's for some more supplies. i had a couple commissions from the street fair and i gotta get those done. awesome.

photoblog on a sunny humpday!

2009-06-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

the face of hospitality.

* * * * *
also, i'll be at "last thursday" on alberta street fair tomorrow (portland, oregon). come visit and buy some of my hand-crocheted wares. featuring some new pieces... crocheted triangular scarves and dress ties! i'll be there from 6pm to 9pm.

bing overload

2009-06-22T23:22:00.000-07:00

not sure what's it's all about but diggin the overloaded-ness of the commercial itself. and it certainly caught my attention at 1:30am on a thursday.

delayed photoblog

2009-06-19T15:27:00.001-07:00

some flora for yous. somewhere in the cascades while on my morel hunt. i really appreciate the colors and angle.

photo

2009-06-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

taken at the 2nd tallest spire in the world. located in germany.

rose fest & possibilities in pittsburgh

2009-06-05T20:47:00.001-07:00

wanted to throw a photo of lever & lace's vendor booth. this one is from the portland rose festival memorial day weekend. our booth has changed slightly since this was taken. a few more pieces of merchandise, and the manequins were borrowed. that's definitely something we need to get our hands on.

i've been in pittsburgh, pa for the last few days. earlier today i visited a quirky store/salon called luxx. it was a super cute place. the front half of the facility is full of handmade and vintage-inspired clothes, jewerly and accessories. then, there's a cute little hair salon in the back. it's located in the south side, across the way from downtown. such a fun combination. i hope to sell some art wares there in teh future. i met one of the co-owners, amy, today and she'll be talking to her associate tomorrow about working with me long distance. wish me luck!

blogger publicity

2009-05-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

Fun news in the blog world. sunniefairy of etsy, who writes a blog called "Only the Best of Etsy" has featured one of my items in her 9th showcase. What an honor. Check it out!

Best of Etsy: 9th Showcase

a dirty photoblog

2009-05-27T16:15:00.001-07:00

some time ago my company created some bids for an online viral campaign. as you probably know, virals are on the fringe of advertisement and often cross the borders of "proper" and "decent". this particular short film starred a family of hands, sporting realistic hairdos and clothing in a dollhouse-sized 70s-style living room. the storyline consisted of the mother hand telling a grand story about her coming to america, the trials and tribulations she went through to get here, and the secrets she had to keep along the way.

while on set, i took this snapshot.

ASCII animation

2009-05-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Take a peak at this new short film by Chris Gavin which was featured recently featured on Motionographer.

Portland Rose Festival: The Result

2009-05-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

Saturday wrapped out Lever & Lace's festival vendor debut. Unfortunately, we did not earn enough money to cover our booth fees. I believe this is because of many factors.

1) 1st Annual
This was the first time that there have been handmade vendors at the Rose Festival. The Handmade NW Artisans tent is (I write "is" because the tent will be set up through the end of the Rose Festival on June 7th) in competition with carnival rides & games, music, food vendors and mass produced vendors. These things are staples at a festival, while handmade artwares are not.

2) Early Opening
This is also the first year that the festival has opened on Memorial Day weekend, making the entire festival into a 2-week long event. As a whole, I do not believe the early opening was well publicized. A number of friends told me that I was the first person to mention the festival's Memorial weekend opening. Secondly, there was free admission on the first day of the opening creating a higher volume of clientele who were probably on a budget.

3) Crowd
The work of Lever & Lace appeals to the alternative, young, "hip", urban crowd. Although, I do believe that my crochet work has a place in a more mainstream setting, it was, unfortunately, not developed in that vein as much as it needed to be for this particular event. This is something I would like to work on for the future, to broaden my appeal.

Needless to say, this was an incredible learning experience for Lever & Lace. And regardless of our actual sales, we met some very interesting, creative people at the festival. Like-minded individuals who are creating new looks and developing their own companies in an attempt to wiggle their way through this economic trough our nation is currently undergoing. We gained invaluable information and advice about producing and promoting our product. Now let us hope that we can take advantage of this information and make some money! *grin*

Look for Lever & Lace this Thursday, May 28th in the Alberta Street Arts district. We'll be pedaling our wares on the sidewalk at "Last Thursday."

crocheted hair peices

2009-05-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

the latest in my crocheted wonders. *grin* i'm really proud of them.

soon to be on etsy.

photo blog

2009-05-21T02:06:00.000-07:00

hello there. in anticipation of the debut of mine and kimi's jewerly entrepreneurship, here is an amazing photograph of one miss kimberly kaplowitz taken one fine july afternoon on the island of swan in portland, oregon while shooting a music video for the crazy and talented, violet uprising.

come see us this weekend in the waterfront village!

portland rose festival + handmade nw = lever & lace

2009-05-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

let me explain. this weekend starts the beginning of the two week long rose festival, which happens every year in portland, oregon. the rose festival features 3 parades, park rides, a beer festival, and for the first time this year, with the help of handmade nw, arts and craft vendors!

my compadre, kimi, and i are debuting our own jewelry and accessory line at the festival. we are lever & lace. lever & lace is comprised of two artists whose work is inspired by the beauty of nature, the mechanism of industry and the comfort of home.

here are some photos of the work that will be featured at our booth on friday, may 22 and saturday, may 23rd.

come visit us right in the middle of waterfront villiage on friday, may 22 from 5pm-11pm and saturday, may 23rd from 11am-11pm.

humpday +1 photo blog

2009-05-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

hi there. as i was scanning my photobucket for the perfect image to represent this week's photo blog, this photo caught my eye.

this photo was taken in salzburg, austria, home of the "Mozartkugel" (mozart chocolate ball), in august 2007. apparently they also love marzipan.

crocheted chest pieces

2009-05-11T00:27:00.000-07:00

this weekend was crafty wonderland at the doug fir. amber and i premiered our first collaborative chest piece which did not sell but had a great reception. without further ado here is a photo so you can see what we're all about.

this piece is composed of brass chain, crocheted ivory and metallic threads, bullet shells and a skeleton key. i really like the way it turned out and i think it's pretty great for our first piece. i can't wait to make some on a larger scale, with tall collars and a wider span along the chest. also, i was to try some more pieces that are asymmetrical like the one below.

i'm going to try and sell it on it's own, without amber's accoutrement. i like the femininity of the piece. it reminds me of lace.

these two necklaces should be on etsy within a couple days. let me know if you're interested in making a purchase or would like to talk about a custom piece.

a photo for your thoughts

2009-05-07T00:11:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago i went on a hike in the cascades of oregon. i found this amazing log which looks as if it had been ravaged by some sort of termite. it had the neatest markings dug out of its skin.

* * * * *

got some disappointing news today from the feature documentary film for which i was tentatively going to do some animation work. they won't be needing my services. they have decided to go with archival footage rather than animation. this is actually something i suggested to them, prefacing with, "not that i'm trying to lose any work, but you could look into public domain footage..." blah blah. i'm sad. the project had a lot of promise and it would have been something that i would have designed, animated and produced by myself. well, maybe another day.

* * * * *

tomorrow and friday i will be cranking out a number of the crocheted "chain mail" chest pieces i've mentioned in previous posts. naturally i'll throw some photos up here once i have some. i bought some colored threads today and look forward to working with them. so far we've been making more naturally toned pieces so some bright colors should be fun. i will be sitting at the booth with amber on sunday. i'll help with purchases but will mostly be there for entertainment, working on some more necklaces. i always love it when the artists are there making stuff while a bazaar is going on. it makes me want to come up and talk to them and buy their stuff. hopefully this will have the same effect on our passersby.

* * * * *

lastly and completely unrelated, i want to mention that the aromatic theraputic qualities of a rose scented candle is simply phenomenal.

my shawty

2009-05-03T23:45:00.000-07:00

this is my first piece of crocheted clothing, and though upon its debut there were many a joke about getting my sweater stuck in a door or having half my sweater torn off in a gang fight, the shape is intentional (i have the funniest, most original friends). i made the "shawty" by a pattern, with slight variation, from the book Get Your Crochet On: Fly Topes and Funky Flavas by Afya Ibomu. it is a sportier version of the shrug. the yarn is hand-dyed in chile, a beatiful turquoise with green hues. it has some variation in width making some sections of the sweater chunkier, which gives it a great texture.

back:

front detail:

i received many compliments when i first wore it and really like the way it turned out.

campaign: made for each other

2009-05-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

i don't know much about frito-lay's online campaign, i plan to do more research, but i saw this commercial on hulu.com and just couldn't resist posting it. it is absolutely incredible. the textures of the cg models and the lighting combined make the characters amazingly tactile. simply stunning artwork with a timeless design.

super crochet fun times + humpday

2009-04-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

two big things coming up soon. one, this friday at good gallery, another grand show opening. this month's theme is "may day may day may day: a show about disasters." pop by mississippi and skidmore starting at 7pm and check out my latest work (photo from gallery space coming soon). here's sneak peak...

secondly, i've hooked up with a local jewelry artist by the name of amber arpin, who makes beautiful necklaces and earrings of feathers, chains, and bicycle bits. she's terribly talented and i'm lucky we have a mutual friend and the mutual desire to make some really awesome art. i'm working on some projects with her that will hopefully be done in time for the crafty wonderland show held in the basement of the doug fir on may 10th, their mother's day special. this place will be full of hip, youthful moms and their daughters so hopefully we can make us a little money. special thanks to christopher herdon, comic artist extraordinaire, for inviting us both to his awesome birthday party.

also, don't forget to check back soon for picture of the plethora of handmade wearables that i have been working on lately. bathing suits, gloves, shrugs. we got it all.

* * * * *

last but not least, our weekly humpday photo blog.

this photo was taken this weekend when i went morel hunting in oregon's cascade region with my homie and fellow artist, kimi kaplowitz. there were so many amazing photos opportunities for beautiful photos that i just couldn't resist. it helped me remember why i love photography so much.

humpday jump-a-day

2009-04-23T22:59:00.001-07:00

jumping back again for another delayed humpday photo blog.

this one was taken while i was in college. i did a series of nudes then (as many college kids do). this is of my friend and former roommate, maya. she recently moved back to miami, so i'm dedicating this humpday to her.

one of my favorite things about this photo is that maya isn't actually in it. all the images of her are her reflections. if i could do it again, i would close the lense a little bit more and pull out a bit more contrast when printing the image. i printed this in a dark room and everything, old school.

by the by, expect some serious crochet madness coming soon. i've been gettin' busy.

when classic hip-hop turns into a parody sales pitch

2009-04-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

awesome new commercial. the burger "king" has always been at the top of my advertising viewing list. the commercials are some of the funniest around. the latest, featuring a remix of "baby got back" ranks up there in awesomeness with the french superglue commercial with the nuns. here's the extended viral version.

now we all know you're not targeting kids with that kids' meal commercial, don't we burger king?

humpday - a couple days late

2009-04-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

hey y'all. i know you're vying for some humpday photo blogging. i, unfortunately, totally forgot as i've been spending time with my new old roommate, andrew. i'm very glad he's here. on that note, i've chosen a photo that reminds me of andrew, as he is an amazing cook. he's simply got a natural talent. so here we go.

if i could take this photo again, i would throw more light on there and open up the aperture to get a great depth of field. next time, next time.

student film project from japan

2009-04-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

i think what is the most fascinating about videos like this for those of us who work in the animation industry, is the amount of time that it takes to make them. i know animation takes a long time, but films like this take A LOT of time. WAY a lot. DOUBLE PLUS A LOT. especially when you're doing it by yourself, which many students do. the kids these days, they're very clever. ;)