Banners

I've made a lot of banners. They're all featured on my Etsy site, this is just a small taste so check the rest out there. I'm currently in the process of adding to and improving my Etsy shop, any suggestions would be welcome. For instance; my sister Grace says I should brighten some of my photos, so I plan to do that. I've been brain storming some new products for the shop, those slippers from my previous post might be a good option, although they're pretty costly to make and would need to sell a few things to get me started. So far my only banner "Customers" are the Lovely Jon and Annie Heaps, I gave it as a wedding present during their recent nuptials.

These Particular banners are made from burlap, stitched with yarn and then strung onto some jute to give it that shabby chic, back country look. All the lettering is hand painted and the individual flags, after being ironed, are lined with a an adhesive to keep it from fraying. I plan on making some new ones with a bunch of scrap fabric and binding I have, soon as I get the studio in my new home in working order. I have a thing for banners, they just make me happy. I think it's because they represent celebration, joy, community and childlike wonder. All those things that make my world go round. So please browse, purchase, suggest, and above all be inspired!

Do enjoy!

Leigh

Slippers

At the end of last year I had a stint working at my beloved Joann Fabrics, so while worshiping at the alter of textiles I got to wander around the store thinking up different projects I could do. This project came along when I was putting away some patterns and stumbled upon one for these adorable slippers and thought, "Christmas Presents!" The hardest part in creating these (besides dealing with the fluffy lining) was finding and ordering the suede soles for the bottoms, the rest was just a blast! Needless to say my sisters loved them and I even made a pair for myself. If I make these again I think i will experiment in creating the soles myself with various materials, and I think I would probably put some strong interlining between the fabrics to make them more durable and have more structure.

Enjoy!

Trying my hand at comics.

When I was in New York I met up with a guy by the name of Brandon Lisy that I met through a friend of a friend. We had lunch together because he does what I want to do (He's an editor/producer at ABC News) and I wanted to hear what he had to say about it. The moment we walked into the ABC Cafeteria he asked me if I was a Vegetarian, and though I'm not really I just tell people I am to squelch further questions. And apparently my hat gives me away.

Today I did a lot of waiting around for folks to come and work on the house in one way or another. Around 3pm the roofers showed up and proceeded to do whatever they do to "roof". Whatever it was it sounded like they were dropping bowling balls on the roof. If I wanted this to really be true to life I would have added my Cat Alister, cuz he was flipping out.

Enjoy!

Montrose Beach

Yesterday was the first day of the year the temperature rose above 80 degrees in Chicago. It was a Sunday so naturally everyone headed down to the beach. The entire 28 miles of Chicago's lake shore is park land with 33 Beaches and other assorted harbors, piers and golf courses. I live just down the street from Montrose Beach and Montrose Harbor which has volley ball courts, a skate park, a sledding hill, a Bird sanctuary, a pier and countless vendors and rent-able boats in the summer. So on this beautiful, sunny and windy day I decided to take a walk down to the shore to dip my toesies into the ice cold spring water, and when it's nice outside, whatever month is may be, Chicago come's out to play. As I entered the park, music playing in my ears, I started passing families playing, couples canoodling and kissing, Dogs flipping out, and I thought it'd all be a nice moment to try to capture and share, Chicago coming out of it's hole. There is something very redemptive about Spring in Chicago, something you can't experience in places like L.A., and I'm still trying to figure out if it holds some value as a human experience, but my feeling is that it does.

ENJOY!

Beautiful Me

This is my most recent project.

About a month ago I heard a friend of mine was doing this photo shoot and I decided it would be a good idea/interesting to film it. The photo shoot and data collected from the questionnaires the girls filled out were to be collaborated and turned into a short play that was going to be performed at the NPU winter one act festival, but the person who was heading the project dropped out. The girls involved in putting this all together called me up a week ago and said "Hey, since you have all that footage want to just make a video we can screen at the festival?" and I was like "TOTALLY!" and then I called up my friend Dustin who is an awesome musician and was like "Hey want to score a short doc by this time next week?" and he was like "TOTALLY!". And so this short film was born and will be screened on a big screen this week on Thursday and Saturday night at North Park University in the LHA.

ENJOY!

Social Media Mogul

So since I'm a Social Media Mad woman I've started to sell myself as a social media manager under Uncanny Cat Media. A million thanks to my bff Darcie for making that amazing logo. My first client you ask? Gene's Sausage Shop, an amazing European style market that's been an establishment in Chicago for 37 years that opened up a second location a little over a year ago. I was hired there about 2 months ago as a cashier/deli girl and thought they could use my skills as a social media addict. I'm giving them my 30 day trial in hopes that they'll dig my skillzzz ;) Check it out and please stop by Gene's, this is really a place I believe in.

http://twitter.com/#!/GeneSausageShop

And let me know if you need my mad skillzzz.

I went to Tom Thumb for some hair for my puppets...

And I stumbled upon these little head boards for 99 cents each, couldn't resist. I figured I could do something with them, so I did! A little brown paint and water, a couple magazine cut out's and some glue and viola!

"Chewy Melodic Bits"

"My Attic Hurts"

"I'm free and ready, so we can go steady...how's about cookin somethin' up with me?"

ENJOY!

P.S. I REEEEALLY need to find my digital camera chord...

Meal in the Sky keeps on turnin...

Meal in the Sky from Leigh Culbertson on Vimeo.

This is the completed family vid made with footage taken on Thanksgiving 2010 in Chicago at my sister Bonnie's place. My family is dynamic and entertaining.

Love, Leigh.

Enjoy!

Don't hate me Bon.

Bonnie from Leigh Culbertson on Vimeo.

I made this compilation of silly Bonnie moments. They're from a longer family vid I made that is having some trouble loading right now...but this one is funny.

Enjoy!

Story Board and the cast.

I'm sorry I haven't posted in basically a month, but I've been busy working on crafts for Christmas made for my family members (I have 5) so that took up a lot of my time. I'm waiting on my sister to e-mail me some photo's of the great Calendars I made for my sisters, Mom and Dad. (take your time Grace) and then I'll post them here.

I'm working on a short film set to Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks". It will involve a cute little "Girl love's Boy" story played by some puppets I'm creating. After listening to the song enough times to make a person puke indie rainbow's, I finished the story board (below is one of 4 pages of it) and moved on to the puppet heads. After I'm done with the puppets I'll post them here and then move on to the scouting and shooting. Please let me know if you want to be involved because God knows I can't do this all on my own.

ENJOY!

Oh yeah and HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D

The Elephant in the room

Been working on this painting for a couple days. I don't think it's done yet but I like the direction it's going in. When I paint it either takes me a couple hours or a couple weeks. I always end up having to sit back and look at it for a while. Well anyway.

ENJOY!

Tiny Chair

So since I've been a little slow with the posts recently, when I came across this book I decided I had to buy it. It has lovely little prompts to draw from each day so that I wont have an excuse not to be inspired :)

Today it mentioned making something that can fit into the palm of your hand, so I made this, a tiny chair. Made from masking tape and acrylic paint.

ENJOY!

Family Photo

I got to see my wonderful family this week for Thanksgiving. Me and my sister Bonnie both live in Chicago and so the 5 other people in our family flew and drove in to be with us! My mom was awesome enough to give me one of her sewing machines for future project and my "soon-to-be-brother-in-law"Guillaume had an extra camera laying around that he so graciously donated to my cause. So I have more tools to execute my creative schemings. I'm so thankful for them.

Here's a little peep into my family's process of taking a Family Photo.

Family Photo from Leigh Culbertson on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

Doodles, Muffins and Chocolate Cat Tongues.

So while I didn't make this, I did pick it up from Gene's Sausage Shop on Lincoln Square today, a place that sells lot's of German candies. This, to me, was hilarious. The words on the packaging are all in German and there are KITTENS on it with what looks to me like kitty poo. I couldn't resist, I had to buy it if only to get a couple giggles out of Ryan and any others that visit my home. Upon further investigation they seem to be "kitten tongues" or "Katzenzungen".

Enjoy THAT!

I have this coloring/doodling book by Taro Gomi (author of Everybody Poops, The Gas We Pass etc.) It has little doodles on some pages with instructions. This one was "Give them arms and legs and pretend they're having a battle". Childish and fun.

ENJOY!

Adam has a lot of different kinds of blocks and I was bored during his nap. It was fun cuz it was kind of like solving a puzzle since there were only so many blocks in each color category... Seriously a puzzle. I feel like I could get even more creative with all the block opportunities Adam's house provides. Also childish and fun.

ENJOY!

Me and Adam made Banana Muffins since the Yue's had a couple banana's that were on their last leg. They were yummy. Me and Adam ate a couple...

ENJOY!

Little Leigh and Grace in the Sandbox

This is a painting I've been working on from some time. I actually started it while living in Ohio about 2 years ago and when I moved back to Chicago I ended up leaving it there unfinished. I finally brought it back on a recent trip home and started working on it again. I wouldn't say it's finished but this is what's been done so far.

Enjoy!

P.S. I apologize for the crappy images, I'm stuck using only the camera on my phone. The Chords for my digital camera have gone missing. Also, if anyone has a DSLR they want me to have let me know hahaha ;)

My Big Face

My Big Face from Leigh Culbertson on Vimeo.

Sorry it's been a couple days since I "made" anything to put on here. I've been sick and lazy. Here's something I made today after looking in the mirror while "waking up my face".

Enjoy!

Dinner

So I recently learned how to make really awesome breading. I recently used it on pork chops but tonight I breaded and fried up some chicken breasts for Ryan and I's dinner tonight.

Fried Chicken Breasts with bacon, spinach, Colby cheese, and a fried egg with a side of yellow squash and green beans sauteed in butter and garlic, yummmmm.

As requested by my sister, the breading recipe.

Planko Bread crumbs (I added a little sour cream and chedder potatoe chip crumbs as well)

egg

flour

spices

Oil

In one bowl mix you're flour and spices

In another beat your egg(s)

In yet another put your bread crumb mix

In a pan heat up your frying oil

Take your meat of choice and cover it best you can in your flour and spice mixture, Then on to the egg bowl where you cover it with egg then on to your bread crumbs where you cover it completely. Put the breaded meat into your oil over med/low heat making sure half of it is submerged, wait till the breading is a nice brown color than flip until the other side is done. If you find that the middle is still pink but the breading is to a crisp toss it in the oven for a few minutes on *350.

Any questions?

Enjoy!

Ziggy Played the Guitar.

Ok, so basically it's the same outfit as Buddy Holly only with different, pants, hair and subtract the glasses and add the make up. But I figured it's pretty f-ing awesome given that I thought of it the day of Halloween.

Leigh - "Now, if only I didn't have these boobs".

Ryan - "Please don't say stuff like that".

I love androgyny, it's usually something I strive for in my style, so it's nice to be able to go full blown on Halloween weekend. That being said I find myself to be very feminine, just walk into our apartment and you'll agree, not to mention the pedicures and Manicures I get every Month and the sweet smelling everything everywhere. But there is something to be said about feeling "Dapper" a word most women don't get to utter about themselves.

So in the spirit of Halloween and Two Dapper Gents that I greatly admire for their style and music, I will proudly dress up like a gent :)

oo ee oo I look just like Buddy Holly

Kind of.... There's only so much you can do with your own wardrobe and a timed 3 second camera. But yeah!

Enjoy!

Bubblegum Wrapper Chain

Ok, so I made it out of Magazine strips, but you get the idea. I've wanted to learn how to make one of these since high school, but for some reason never did. Thanks to www.ehow.com. I now have a new thing to occupy my hands on my commutes to and from work!

Enjoy!