dabble | Tenacious Dee

May 23 2014

pinata makin’

I have a thing for pinatas, I always have. A few years back, when my husband and I bought our house and we hosted a housewarming BBQ, he insisted we have burgers and hot dogs and I insisted we have a pinata. My friends didn’t really know what to make of this, but luckily we had some kids in attendance who really enjoyed taking care of that pinata.

Thanks to Dabble and the lovely and super talented ladies of Eriewood Collective, the next time I have a special occasion, I can make my very own pinata in whichever shape I choose! To say I’m stoked with my new found knowledge would be an understatement. Eriewood Collective, you have created a monster. Ha!

Apr 02 2014

1 Comment

dabble, personal

dabble clay play

It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to attend a Dabble class so I was really excited that I got to attend a clay play session hosted by Drum Face Chicago. The class is set up so you can make something with clay either by handbuilding (this is what I did) or experimenting with wheel throwing. It was really neat seeing everyone’s vision come to life, one creative gal used her preferred method of holding her coffee mugs to make a pair of really neat mugs. Our creations were then left in the capable hands of our lovely teacher Heather who will fire them up on the kiln and have them ready for us to pick up in a few weeks. I can’t wait to get my hand on my little handmade bowls!

Mar 08 2013

3 Comments

dabble, fashion, personal, sewing

wardrobe revamp

dabble-wardrobe-revamp

Yesterday a small group of women gathered at this lovely place looking for some tips on hand sewing and mending clothes. This Dabble course, taught by the super sweet and talented Kandy Christensen was very laid-back and super helpful, after Kandy taught us how to properly sew on a button, it was like a light bulb went off, we all shared that wonderful a-ha moment. The combination of sewing, drinking and eating was surprisingly a great combination as well, as you can see from the photos, we had some good grub to nosh on whilst learning.

I look forward to taking some further lessons from Kandy and finally put to use that awesome sewing machine my husband bought me for Christmas. Up first, this pattern that I’ve been dying to make, hopefully in time for summer.

Feb 25 2013

8 Comments

dabble, knitting, personal, photography

yarn lady, here

dabble-dennise

As promised, I am sharing with you the awesome photos I walked away with after the Dabble product photography class, aren’t they great?! We were told in advance to bring a few items to photograph and knew I just had to bring my newly-finished speckled hat. If you haven’t seen it yet, Hannah, the lovely lady behind Hetterson designed this gorgeous hat pattern for Frolic, and it was honestly the most fun I’ve had knitting. My husband says it’s his favorite thing I’ve knit and I’d have to agree with him. Thanks so much for sharing this gem Chelsea and Hannah!

I also brought my WIP to photograph, this is the start of my first set of mittens, wish me luck!

dabble-dennise-2

I gotta say, it’s gonna be hard to photograph my knitting projects at home now, I may have to enlist Erika and her studio’s help for all my knits, uh oh, this hobby of mine just became really expensive.

Feb 25 2013

product photography 101

dabble-product-photo-1

This past weekend, I snuck away from my work to take another (I can’t get enough!!) great Dabble course, beginning product photography taught by the awesome photographer, Erika DuFour. The class consisted mostly of entrepreneurs seeking tips on photographing their items for Etsy, Ebay, etc. It was so great to meet these talented people and discover new shops (more on that later!), it’s so encouraging to see the ever growing entrepreneurial scene in Chicago, especially those selling really cute handmade items. By the way, the lovely floral arrangements I went nuts taking pictures of are by Cindy Schwartz. I couldn’t get enough of those flowers!

Erika was a great teacher, she made the whole process seem so accessible despite our using some high-tech, expensive equipment, she was very adamant about using what we have at home and improvising to get quality photos which was really refreshing, she didn’t once try to sell us on any high-end products. This experience also cemented in my mind the importance of professional photographers, they are worth every single penny people!

My favorite part of the whole process? Erika’s awesome studio! I’d love to go back someday and take more pictures of that space, it was that great.

dabble-product-photo-2

Thanks again Dabble and Erika for such a wonderful class! Stay tuned, my next post will include the studio photos I snapped. Happy Monday!

Feb 18 2013

brunch mixology

dabble-mixology

Last week I mentioned attending a double-header Dabble event, the first being cupcake decorating and the second, a delicious (and dangerous) mixology class. Anyone who knows me, knows I’m no stranger behind the bar, I’ve been a part-time bartender at a small German pub for a few years, however, it’s a bierstube so we specialize in beer and not much else. A person who approaches me about a martini is out of luck, I can tell you all about pilsners, lagers and ales but don’t ask me for a lemon drop as I probably don’t have the ingredients for that.

All this to say, this class was perfect for me as I’m always looking for ways to sharpen my mixology skills, especially brunch mixology because we all know that when it comes to brunch, it’s all about the drinks. Dennis, our teacher was a fountain of knowledge, it was fascinating to not only learn about making these drinks but also the story behind each liquor and how it’s made/distilled. Let me tell you, this man made some mean drinks, he even gave us the recipe to one of his signature cocktails which was really yummy and deceptively strong.

The best part about the class? Getting buzzed before noon, of course. The true breakfast of champions, my friends.

Feb 08 2013

1 Comment

dabble, food, personal

cupcake decorating

cupcakes

This past Wednesday, Dabble held a special event featuring two awesome classes back to back, the first being cupcake decorating. I gotta admit, I was really terrible at the decorating part, a girl mentioned her fondant rose looking more like a succulent than a rose, well, mine didn’t even resemble a plant of any sort. Ha! Nevertheless, the class was super-duper fun and the cupcakes, which our teacher Meg lovingly made, were pretty damn delicious.

dabble-cupcakes

I have so much respect for all you bakers and pastry gurus, Cake Boss makes it look so easy (ok, not really), but boy, decorating those yummy treats is not easy. I’m glad that I make up for my lack of cupcake artistry by being a champ at eating ’em. Yep, I’m pretty tough to beat in that department.

dabble-cupcakes-2

Oh and by the way, this class was held at Dabble’s new headquarters, a lovely office space in Enerspace Chicago, just look at all that lovely light and ample space! Congrats Dabble peeps, you guys rule! xo

Jan 25 2013

7 Comments

coffee, dabble, fun, personal

calligraphy

dabble-calligraphy

Last night I had the chance to attend a calligraphy class hosted by Dabble and held at this charming little coffee spot. Our teacher Meg, who is sweet as pie, gave us some guidance and tips and then let us loose with our pens and paper in tow, as you can see from the photos above, we took our lettering very seriously.

Taking this class made me realize how much I miss using pen and paper, as a kid, I used to love buying loads of cute stationery and writing notes to all my friends. So, I’m adding something to my 2013 goals, practice more handwriting, even if that means using my new calligraphy skills on a simple grocery list.

Oct 29 2012

5 Comments

dabble, knitting, personal

knitting in the round

As I’ve alluded to the last couple of weeks, I’ve been glued to my computer working hard on some freelance work. Times like these, I get fed up of staring at screens, so I usually reach for something to distract me for awhile so I can have fresh eyes once again. In my line of work, it’s important to walk away from the computer otherwise the pixels all start meshing together and that is just bad news bears.

Recently, what I’ve been reaching for to distract me has been my knitting bag and it’s so freaking therapeutic, you wouldn’t believe. I had the chance to take another awesome Dabble course last week and able to advance my knitting skills. If you found yourself in dire need of a hat, I could actually make you one. Hey, family and friends, guess what y’all are getting for Christmas? Yup.

Oct 16 2012

4 Comments

dabble, fun, woodworking

custom cutting board

This past weekend, I had the chance to attend the coolest Dabble class to date, I had a chance to make my very own cutting board! That’s right, I have added woodworking to my ever growing list of obsessions.

The class was held at ReBuilding Exchange, a rad studio with a very open floor plan. I must say, at first, the thought of handling a chop saw was terrifying, I will admit to a fleeting moment of panic, but the moment I used it, I felt this powerful feeling rush through me that was pretty exhilarating.

If you’ve ever contemplated taking a woodworking class, take it from me, it’s such a rewarding experience.

Tenacious Dee

a thought organizer

Category Archives: dabble