renee_speaks

Here at The AntiCraft, it is a season of change. What does this mean to you? A lot, we think.

I (Renee) am stepping back from my role as technical editor on the website, because my season of change means that I am going back to school in the spring, as well as focusing on my fiction writing for a bit. My level of busy in the past few months made me realize that a change needs to happen in order to maintain and continue improving the quality of the content on our website.

This leaves a position open for a technical editor. There is no money in this, only the glory of bringing the dark and mysterious to the crafters of the world. You would be responsible for tech editing the patterns (so a general knowledge of knitting, crochet, and miscellaneous crafts will be required) as well as checking links before the issue goes up, and copy editing for spelling errors (because we play it fast and loose with the grammar, yo). Also, blog posts and forum moderation are part of this very volunteer position.

This position takes a fair amount of time and dedication that I am not able to provide at this time, and we look forward to someone having exactly those skills to bring to the website. Preferential selection will be given to those in the Lexington, Kentucky area, but offers will be considered no matter the location. Interested crafters can send an inquiry to whinge@theanticraft.com.

I will still be around in a lesser function as occasional blog updater, book reviewer, and (hopefully) pattern contributor. I will miss my role, but it is time to move on with other aspects of my life.

Darkly yours,

Renee Rigdon

Enjoy this getting stuck in your head.

Excuse the title, I'm tired as hell, and yet, I am curious.


Yesterday, Zabet and I were trollin' around the craft store, looking at supplies for a fabulous, soon-to-be announced prize. We walked down the scrapbook aisle and were floored by its cuteness. And by floored, I mean because we were laughing so hard we thought we might vomit. It's all so . . . cute, that premade stuff.

We laughed for a bit, but then we thought about it. "Is this really all there is?" We asked in wonderment. "Is no one scrapping in dark and dangerous ways?" and, more awesomely, "Has anyone ever scrapbooked that time they were depressed?"

And (please don't tell anyone that we aren't all-knowing) we didn't know the answer.

So, intrepid crafters, where are your dark scrapbooks? Where are the books that show your pain? Your suffering? Your inner circle of secret warriors? The one showing that time you stalked some random dude for six months?

Also, why don't I own one of those fancy dancy computerized cutters that look so friggin' cool?

I got onto Ravelry yesterday, and it has been sucking up an insane amount of my time. I'm on there as "Rigdon" by the way, because I am oh so very creative with user names.

Favorite thing? Looking through the patterns available, where I stumbled upon this fab and insanely adorable Cthulu.


Ne will be making this as soon as she can figure out what language the pattern is in. She will then learn just enough to translate it. Or, some dear sweet soul will translate it for her.

I figure if Mr. Fluffy can fights Cthulu, Mr. Fluffy should has a Cthulu to fight!

My husband, a fabulous artist whose work appears in the upcoming AntiCraft book, has at long last started a website.

Go here now to check out Fluffy and Bear, a distinctly Matt Rigdon-esque webcomic featuring an elephant, a bear, a boy, and his adventures.

Bookmark him. Love him (but not in that way, not unless you pay me). Share him (once again, not in that way) with your friends.

And on that note, what webcomics do you love?

My favorites:

Fluffy and Bear (I've seen what's happening in the strip the next few weeks)

Questionable Content

Something Positive

Octopus Pie


So, geek-readers? What webcomics bring you back everyday? Bonus points if they aren't something I likely would have already heard of.

What are some tacky, cliche things people signed in your yearbook?

You know, like, "Have a nice summer!", or "Stay cool!"


Short entry today, I'm just curious.

Lately, I've been in a reading mode. I've read a number of books in the past month equal to the number I've read in the entirety of the year, I've been dutifully reading and editing pieces from the members of my writer's group, and magazines have ceased to serve as eye candy only.

I'm almost done with Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smithh--which is working out to be fabulous, by the way--and I am looking for something else now.

My criteria:

Any genre okay.
Must have elements of humor.
Nothing that leaves me through the book saying, "well that's damn depressing" as the main character gets beaten and/or raped constantly. (I know this sentence comes off flippant, but really, that stuff just plain gives me nightmares.)
No dragons, or fairies, or elves. This one is completely non-negotiable.
No talking animals.

I also need to bust out some audiobooks (good for knitting time.) Hey, it's October now, maybe good horror.

Anyone have recommendations for me? If not, what do YOU like to read? What won't you read?

The ad on Something Positive today send me to www.squishable.com, where I found this! And boy howdy do I want it.

It's sold out, though, but I think I'll be joining the mailing list for when they come back around.

Either that, or I'll just knit a gi-normous squid. One of the two.

Last year, at our first AntiCraft birthday party, we did a poetry contest. The winning participant's poem began.

Nothing, nothing, nothing,
I am nothing.

I don't remember more, and the poem itself has been lost to the wiles of somewhere else, but it comes to mind today because, well, nothing is on my mind.

I'd love to create something from nothing, or more specifically, nothing from something. I'd love to create something that captures the void. Terribly interesting to you, dear reader, I am sure, because I can't think of the way I want to project it. Because let's face it, a black hole on a black cloth made of black yarn is only interesting for so long, but creating a sense of nothingness with craft would be really fantastic. At least, in my own strange opinion it would be.

What do you want to create today? What grand, unimaginable thing should spring forth from your very hands? What is your universe, o goddesses (and gods, of course) of glue and string and sticks and hammers?

Today, while enjoying a tasty Hendrick at 3rd St Coffee (warning, will open a MySpace page) I was asked what I was eating. I replied, "The Hendrick." Then explained the lucious olive-y, cheesy, vegetably goodness that is this sandwich. Oh, and it is good.

But as conversations are wont to do, the tide turned, and we discussed our lives. She offered me her card, with the warning that it had the itinerary from a workshop she had attended on the back. A BDSM workshop.

And then I kinda loved her a little more than I already did just for her willingness to ask about my sandwich.

She brought up the term "hypnodomination." One I hadn't heard before, but could easily guess the meaning.

How cool is that? I mean really. It might not necessarily have been my bag before, but I love the idea of being able to tantalize the mind of anyone (because let's face it, I am the luscious goodness), and to do it through hypnosis? Wowza. Fun times.

That's all, just been thinking about that and admiring the business card with such fun phrases as "Flogging--An introduction" scrawled on the back in lovely, choppy handwriting.

I ordered the Quilter's Set of looms from Hazel Rose Looms last week, and they arrived on Monday.

Since Monday, I've barely been able to put them down long enough to draw breath.

Looms=love. Weaving=love.

My brain is a-flutter trying to be the dark and scary girl with these things, but they make me want to do nice things like make presents for my grandmother (Happy Birthday Nana!) and a big cozy flowery afghan for myself.

I'm sure soon the darkness will take over, and I'll come up with wicked things to do with them, but until then, I'm enjoying the respite of loving my little looms.

Quick review: Well made, rounded corners, perfect nail spacing, wide variety of wood options, and super fast shipping. I give this website five gory stars of joy and consumery goodness. Came with a nice little tote bag too.

Super secret information: I did not knit from early February until last week. Shocker, I know.

Yet finally, the bug bit me, and I set about my merry way on a pair of anklets with spare (oh so much spare) sock yarn. I knit the cuff, I started to knit the short row heel. I got halfway through it, and my hands . . .

So I'll say again, my hands can freaking bite me, as can my left shoulder, my back, and (on an unrelated note entirely) my knee.

I love you, knitting, but why do you hurt me so?

The September Surprise has gotten me thinking.

"Thinking what?" you ask.

"Shut up and let me talk," I reply, rage glowering in my perfect blue eyes. Then I get all embarassed and cry, and hope you don't make any cracks about my medication

I've been thinking about cross stitch. Most everyone knows about Subversive Cross Stitch and if you don't, you should check it out now.

I wanted something really scary though. I wanted my toes to curl when looked at it. I wanted to cringe in horror, but want it all at the same time.

And then I found it.

And maybe I don't want it after all.

Busy busy times for Madame Renee Scarydumplings, but she has returned.

And, alas, I have returned in sadness. Sadness because of the blog? The site? The tragic state of world affairs? No.

I am sad because I cannot have this watch.


It's. A. Wonder Woman. Watch.

I want it. I need it. I decided to have it. But at the last minute, I decided to email to see if the band would be long enough.

It wouldn't be, at least according to the Fossil website hu-mans who seem to lack any sort of personality or emotion. Their pat answer of the standard band sizes that their watches generally come in don't fit my big girl needs. In fact, the band is about the size of my wrist, but the holes don't go that high. It is a sadness. It is a suffering. And I want my watch dammit!

So if your wrist is smaller than seven inches, buy one! But look for it on eBay or some other site, because the Fossil people are kinda assholes.

Also, if anyone knows where I might find a kick ass watch that will FIT (not be the final length of the band) a 7.5" wrist, please lemme know. I'm looking for something with a leather or cloth cuff, a bit on the thicker side, and awesome beyond imagination.

Let WatchWatch 2007 begin!

EDIT: I found a perfect watch on (you'll be surprised here) Etsy. About two hours later, an ebay seller emailed me back to tell me the band size is actuall 9" and will fit up to a 8.25" wrist, so it totally would have fit. Damn. Damn. Damn. And blast. But hey, the etsy one is friggin' fab and supporting someone who isn't as retarded as Fossil.

With the upcoming Samhain 2007 Spider-and-web-themed issue, I've been seeing inspiration in everything, and figuring out exactly how far I can stretch the constraints of the theme to do projects that will interest not only you, the readers, but me as well.

I've been toying with the idea of doing some weaving, stretching the spider theme back to the Arachne myth, and seeing where that takes me. I don't have a standard loom, of course, because what loom could survive a more-than-slightly exuberant 4.5 year old kid? Not many. I have an inkle loom, but can't think of much to do with that right now.

I picked up a book on off-loom weaving, so perhaps I'll find some inspiration there.

We still have some room in the Spider issue to fill up, so please feel free to submit. If you are unsure about whether your idea would work, you can write up a description, show us some swatches (if applicable to the craft) and talk to us about it via our submit email (which you can find at the above link as well as other submission guidelines.) We'd love to know where your brains are taking this idea.

Off to dig through my supplies, read a bit about weaving, and see how I can rock my own world with my dazzling, daring, and (dare I say it) slightly sinister creativity.