barefoot for the holidays

i am so, so, so excited to share the news - my stuffed creatures are for sale locally in barefoot contessa, the fab vancouver boutiques located on main street and on commercial drive!

my gnomes, tooth fairy pillows, bunnies and drooling kerchiefs are all there and were specially made just for the shops.they're all nestled amongst the other lovely items - i adore the way the kids sections of the stores are displayed. this is the display in the main street shop

they're up in time for christmas - actually, they were there a few weeks ago, but man alive it's been a busy few weeks and my blogging is catching up! there's only a week of shopping time left, so if you're looking for something fun for the baby, kid or child-at-heart in your life, stop by and adopt one! ;-) i'm sure you'll find loads to fill their (and your) stockings while shopping - the stores are heavenly and filled with lovely treats of all sorts - fashion, jewelery and trinkets galore, many from local and independent designers.

happy shopping!

for my imaginary office

the holiday portobello west market was a success! traffic was a little on the slow side on saturday, but still ok and sunday was much better. thankfully the beautiful and seasonally appropriate snow stopped in the morning - i was worried that if it kept up then people might not be able to come! as a native ontarian, i can't manage a straight face if i call a snow-day for anything under 30 cm of snow (or at least 1 cm of solid ice), but you've gotta roll like a local... in the past i've stayed home from work for just a skiff and now i wear gum boots and carry an umbrella in the snow.

thank you to all who stopped by to see my table! it absolutely makes my day seeing how people react to my little army of stuffed creatures.

i was able to check a few items off my xmas list too - good news, since i was so busy with prep that i hadn't started! of course i can't share, since i don't want anyone to get the inside scoop on their gifts!

but i did fall in total love with one thing for myself. i promised that i would be good, but i couldn't resist the amazing mobiles from lovably. i kept going back to look at the most beautiful laser-cut neon pink translucent acrylic and birch bird mobile. cole is too big for a mobile now, at least in the traditional sense, and our ceilings are concrete so not the best for hanging things. but i really needed one for my office. future office, make it. right now my office is a desk in the middle of our open living space (pros - i can see the tv and it's close to the tea kettle) but i have visions of a space with a waist-high cutting table, a l-shaped computer/sewing space, a little table & chair for cole, exciting light fixtures and the kind of elaborately organized closet usually reserved for shoes in homes of the very wealthy. it is in this space i hope to hang this beautiful mobile.

it's called 'birds fly by'. mine has four pink birds and one birch, and the fancy top part is pink too. i can feel the relaxing, creative environment already. and if there's space beside my bay window with leaded glass panes i might put a big cozy chair. and a tea kettle. ;-)

day one: portobello west holiday market

today was the first of a two-day holiday edition portobello west market - the last one before christmas. here's a quick (not-very-good) shot of the table:

i displayed some new stuff: fleecy baby hats, felt xmas ornaments, some new felt pins. and of course all the faves: tartlet pincushions, gnomes, tooth fairy pillows, bunnies, pillow clubs, barrettes, baby accessories and more.

if you're in the area come on by tomorrow! rocky mountaineer station (map) from 12-6. awesome shopping to be had!

new felt pins - halloween ghosties

just added these seasonal felt pins to my etsy shop. there are two versions - scout, the smiling ghostie and radley, the spooky ghostie. yes, i adore to kill a mockingbird - why do you ask? ;-)

they're about 2" high and 1" wide, made of high-end wollfilz wool felt, hand-embroidered and stuffed with organic cotton fill. a large brooch closure is securely sewn to the back.

the littlest helper

just a few shots of my little guy, cole, "helping" me stuff bunnies with organic cotton last week.

usually i do all my work, design, craft or otherwise, while he's napping, but it was crunch time so we did our stuff side-by-side - he played with his toys and proudly brought me pieces of fluff he found on the floor while i stuffed and hand-sewed bunnies closed. of course, he always likes to be a part of the action, and i'm not one to turn down a helping hand!

yay portobello!

i was so happy with how yesterday's portobello west market went. it was my first time on the other side of the table, and truthfully i was a little nervous for the few days beforehand. i am such a fan of so many folks i've seen exhibiting there, and more than a little in awe of their talent and creativity. but i was feeling good once we started to get the table set up. my trusty and crafty friend kim of milkybeer was there to help all day and i am so grateful for both the moral support and help - and bathroom breaks! ;-) it's so wonderful to me to meet people face-to-face and see their reactions to my smiley creatures and creations.

for this event i brought my always-popular gnomes and bunnies (and this time a version stuffed with organic cotton fill), my felt pins and vintage button barrettes too. and i had some new lovely stuff - coin purses, modern caveman pillow clubs (which drew many laughs) tartlet pincushions that seemed popular (and suprisingly so with the kids!), and also tooth fairy pillow kits!

my tooth fairy kits (in the etsy shop later this week) are one of my very favourites. they're made of unbleached organic flannel and stuffed with organic cotton, both industrial leftovers from a local supplier who makes fabulous organic bedding. shaped like a tooth, and with a lovely pocket on the back made of japanese linen/cotton prints - perfect for stashing lost baby teeth in preparation for visits from the tooth fairy! and to keep those little teeth all organized, each pillow comes with 20 tiny envelopes stamped and ready to inscribe with name and date for posterity. so many folks, i mean the tooth fairy, keep baby teeth, but nobody really seems to know what on earth to do with them!

i'll be at the market again on october 25th, and also for the christmas show on december 12 & 13. there are so many lovely, lovely vendors and so much to tempt. i had to restrain myself from shopping while there! instead i've started dropping not-so-subtle hints to jamie about christmas stocking shopping.

please do come see me at one of the next markets! and for anyone looking for something specific that isn't in my etsy shop yet, please just drop me an email.

coming soon - a use for teeny envelopes

i've been working like mad, wrapping things up for this weekend's portobello west... am just about to finish a batch of something fun that uses these little teeny envelopes, and i couldn't resist a tease. more info tomorrow!

tartlet pincushions

i could not resist making a fresh batch of these lovely tartlet pincushions. the idea is based on a pattern from the lovely book zakka sewing. they're small - about 2.5" across - and perfect for folks who routinely end up stabbing themselves with needles poking through the bottom of their other pincushion (um, that would be me). the fabrics are all sturdy home decor weight japanese cotton-linen blends.

they'll be in the etsy shop too, once i confirm the shipping cost, but i really can't wait to put these out on my table at portobello west.

shop update: the modern caveman pillow club

so, a while back i was able to locate a wholesale supplier of the fantastic woodgrain fabric that i use to make my gnomes. i bought a huge bolt of the stuff and it's lovely woodgrainey-ness has been keeping me up at nights with new ideas. i couldn't resist creating this:

the modern caveman pillow club. styled after the club prominent in the type of neanderthal life made popular in comic strips, it's soft and squishy and silly. i love it!

it measures about 24" long x 5" wide and 5" deep, and such fun. interested in beating those around you but not going to jail (probably, no guarantees implied)? need a good conversation piece for the sofa? sore neck? - it makes a remarkably comfy neck pillow. need a good non-violent halloween costume accessory? check it out in my etsy shop for more info.

shop update: felt + vintage button barrettes!

there are a fresh new batch of wool felt and vintage button barrettes in my etsy shop!

each one is completely unique and handmade using my favourite one-of-a-kind authentic vintage buttons and lovely bits of super-soft wollfilz felt. and i'll be displaying an even bigger selection at my table at portobello west later this month!

hi ho, hi ho

making gnomes for my next craft show. am so excited/nervous about my first table at portobello west in september... am simultaneously working on the graphic design project that will.not.end and trying to make enough stock for my table, and then there's that caring for a baby thing that i do all day long...

but i'm super excited about my gnomes. i do love these fellows so. and hoorah - have added "girl" gnomes. they have pink hats and chocolate bottoms, but they do still have beards. ;-)

next show: yaletown baby & toddler fair

i have officially become craft-show crazy! there's something about a deadline and the prospect of setting all of my stuff on a table in front of, you know, live people, that really helps me to focus on creating.

at the etsy spring fling a couple of weeks ago i was invited to participate in the yaletown baby + toddler fair, coming up this weekend. yup, only two weeks between invite and show, but in a fit of "i can do that!" i said yes. then i confirmed. then i backed out because i didn't think there was any way t get the fabric i needed to restock my lovely gnomes in time. then i got an unexpected package in the mailbox of the exact fabric i needed (and apparently forgot that i had ordered!) and said i could do it after all. since then i've been sewing like mad, rethinking my table display and trying to figure out how to get rid of this budding hand cramp. i blame hand-sewing!

anyway, i think the event will be a good fit. although i don't do strictly baby & kids stuff, i find a lot of inspiration for handmade items when creating things for cole and that does skew my creative sense towards the wee folks. come on by and check it out:

saturday, april 4
10 am - 4 pm
roundhouse community centre
davie @ pacific, vancouver
$6 entrance
loads of demos, a fashion show, a craft section, suppliers big & little...

of course, since the event is baby-centric, i'll be bringing ample stacks of bibs, bibbler drooling kerchiefs and light cotton patchwork toddler scarves for springtime too. my little creations for the wee folks who are messy, moist and perhaps a little chilly.

and i'll have loads of softies - gnomes and bunnies (more on these little dudes later as their litter is still multiplying as we speak), beanbags for play, various favourites like felt + vintage button barrettes, cork mousepads and pincushions.