This month is two years since I started my getcrafty column, and though I just took a few months off from posting so I could move and deal with a big stack of work projects, I’m so glad to be contributing to the site! Here’s my new column, cross-posted… or read it over there!

A few months ago I got the chance to hostess Pink Craftie (aka CRAFT: magazine‘s adorable traveling robot mascot, handcrafted by Heidi Kenney), which was so much fun. She was the perfect excuse to do all kinds of crafty stuff, and snap lots of pictures.

We went to the Craft and Hobby Association convention in Anaheim (where we hung out with Jennifer Perkins, Vickie Howell, Kathy Cano Murillo, and Martha Stewart herself!), visited Superbuzzy world headquarters, admired the gorgeous vintage fabric in All Buttoned Up‘s sewing room, hiked up to the Observatory in Griffith Park, had lunch at Clifton’s Cafeteria, learned to crochet with wire courtesy of Sister Diane, saw a sneak preview of the Institute For Figuring crocheted coral reefs show, went to Lisa Congdon‘s opening at ReForm School, shopped for fabric and beads in downtown LA, checked out the craft books at Powell’s, visited Cathie and Steve on the set of “Creative Juice,” and taught a Super Crafty workshop at the library.

And then, on a whirlwind trip to New York, we visited Kayte of Love Forever (and fellow getcrafty columnist!) and saw her lovely studio…

Pink Craftie even got to hang out with Kayte’s house rabbit Potato!

My nephew Julian and I made some Pink Craftie-inspired shrink art…

Here she is relaxing pre-shrink, and also traveling on a rocketship post-shrink.

She seemed to have a good time at Grand Central Station — I think she enjoys trains. Like her cousin Gray Craftie, she likes spinning quickly in a circle.

All in all, I got to hang out with her for about a month and a half, and in that time we did some serious running around!

States visited: five
Flights: five
Train trips: four
Art openings: two
Martha Stewart speeches: one
Studio visits: four
Collaborative art projects: three

She recently hit San Diego to visit Mandy of Sappy Moose Tree, and an update of her latest adventures is over here on her blog. I miss her! I might have to talk to Heidi about getting a custom-order pink robot…