Loving…
Hello,
Life is still going at an awesome pace. Here are some lovely posts and sites from around the craftosphere…
- Angry Chicken’s incredible post about children’s toys.
- Vintage Fabric Wall Art tutorial from How About Orange.
- Great post at U-Handblog about pricing handmade handbags and other crafts to sell.
- Catch up with Becky at Skinny Rabbit – the most cleverest knitter and designer.
- The amazing new site of artist and illustrator Paula Sanz Caballero.
- Gorgeous photos and post about Betsey Johnson’s Apartment via Gala. Gives me hope for a bright future!
Enjoy! Will be back soon. Promise.
Mia
PS The dark locks are gone and the blonde has returned – although very scarily at the moment. Note to self: Do not have blonde hair dyed black if you then want to dye it back again. It is self torture and eating a whole chocolate mudcake is a much better idea! Seriously it has taken four months to get back to blonde and my hair is lucky not to have just broken off in big clumps for all the chemicals it has been subjected to. Hair, I am so sorry and I promise I will try not to do it again.
Supershero: Introducing Sarah McColl
Hello World. It is me, Mia. Yes, I am still alive. I have just been way too busy with this life of mine to write for a while. But I must say I did miss you and it is lovely to catch up again.
Today I want to introduce to you another crafty lady who has caught my attention. I met her a few months ago and I just thought you may like to know more about the gorgeous, talented Sarah McColl…
M: Hi Sarah, it has been so nice to meet you over the Internet. I fell in love with Pink of Perfection straight away. But I hear you blog for a living. Is this true? What sites do you run?
S: That’s mostly true. 
Pink of Perfection is my labor of love that I do with my fiance, Sebastian Conley. I hope one day it will be our source of livelihood, but it’s not yet. So I have a day job. I work at Conde Nast producing a network of blogs. Some of my work is actual writing and appearing in videos, but the bulk of my work is other stuff. The site that’s live now is Elastic Waist.
M: Can you describe a normal work day for us?
S: I’m really tied to my Bloglines account since a big part of my job is being immersed in the blogosphere, knowing what’s out there, and whatrelated blogs are talking about. So I read and comment throughout the day. I also produce video segments: this means coordinating with talent, securing locations, talking to publicists, writing scripts, and managing the schedule. I’m also my boss’ girl friday, helping her with whatever
comes up or she doesn’t have time to handle.
M: What training do you have? Did you complete a university degree?
Yep. I went to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota — Kofi Annan and the guy who played Dixon on Alias are our two most famous alumni! But we’re in such a unique situation right now in terms of jobs and the internet. I was selected for this job not because of my formal training but because of my blog. It was all just very lucky. I had writing experience and knew the blogging publishing platforms, but more importantly, I had on-camera experience and knew what was involved in producing a video blog.
M: What is your favourite topic to write about and what have been your favourite posts so far?
I really love using the mundane as a vehicle to talk about something more meaningful: an experience, a memory, a moment. I think that’s why I love food and crafts and little moments each day like getting coffee: it’s not so much about the thing itself as what it can evoke. For instance, in the winter I really love making a lovely porkloin with prunes, apples, and a mustard cream sauce, and having my sister and brother-in-law over for
supper. But I love writing about the feeling of generosity, making something and sharing it with other people, creating an evening and a complete environment, sitting around a table together. That’s my favorite stuff to write about: moments of communion and connection. My favorite posts so far would have to be the dinner alone post, the paperwhites in empty soup cans, the brooklyn fashion week videoand the Paris video. Sebastian and I had just gotten engaged and when I watch that video I can really *feel* how happy I was and how radiant I felt.
M: Where do you live and work from? Can you describe for us your creative space or workroom? What inspires you about it?
S: I live in Park Slope, Brooklyn, which I love, love, love. It’s young and cool, but also filled with families, beautiful old brownstones, and, of course, beautiful Prospect Park. There’s a great farmer’s market, lots of gourmet food shops, coffee shops, and great little restaurants. I find all of that really creatively inspiring and uplifting. I write and craft in our living room at home, which is orange. I have a desk in my bedroom that has tons of boxes, craft supplies, and fabrics underneath it, but I don’t work there creatively much. For my job I commute to hell on earth, a.k.a., Times Square in Manhattan.
M: So, where would you like to be career-wise in five years time? Do you have any big goals for your sites?
S:I would love for Pink of Perfection to one day be my full-time job. I would love to write a book. I would love to collaborate with my sister, who is an enormously talented writer and would just be so much fun to work with on books or even a tv show.
M: Are you a techno junkie? What are your favourite tech things?
S: I was always very afraid of technology, so blogging has actually been myway of easing into the techie waters. I wouldn’t say I’m a junkie,though. I love my pink KitcheAid hand mixer and my pink ipod, do they count?
M: Yes, in my books they definitely count! Now, what inspires you to write and create?
S: Such a good question! I’m inspired by other people doing their own creative projects on their own terms, bucking the system and doing things their own way. I’m inspired by great writers, being out in nature, thinking about the future, and having those conversations where you and someone are really connecting and the conversation is on fire, you’re really learning something, you’re really on your toes.
M: And, I have to ask, being a complete clothes junkie, who are your favourite designers? What looks are you loving at the mo?
S: I love Sonia Rykiel, Diane von Furstenburg, and Built by Wendy, but I also really love the small labels I see in little boutiques in Brooklyn like Bird and Dear Fieldbinder. I have been so broke for the past several years that I have rarely had the money to go out and buy new clothes, though. It’s been very convenient then that I love vintage dresses, which you can often find for a steal. I’ve been feeling my style evolving a little lately. I always love the looks of starlets from the 60s with their bangs and heavy black liquid liner and little flats, and from the 50s with scoopneck tops and high-waisted voluminous circle skirts.
M: What are your favourite things to create?
S: I like making stuff from junk, things I find on the street. I am such a sucker for fabric, too, so I’m trying to improve my sewing skills so I can start making clothes. I really, really love cooking and baking. Looking in my fridge and scrounging around for ingredients and thinking, “now how can I put these together?” I guess I just hate to see anything go to waste!
M: And finally, (I know I am actually just very nosey) what magazines do you read?
S:I love Donna Hay, Bust, Blueprint, Domino, Lucky, Elle, and Martha Stewart.
M: Thanks so much for doing this interview.
Hope you are inspired!
Mia
PS: If you would like to know more about me, you can read the interview that Sarah did on me at Pink of Perfection. Yes, the love is mutual!
