Sad Knitting News

I met a lady last night at the new Monday night Knitting Group at the library. We have been having a Knitting Group on Wednesday morning but now we have one at night for those who cant come in the day. We were discussing yarn shops in the area and I mentioned The Falconer Yarn Loft where I use to go all the time. They lady I was speaking with asked me if I had heard that the lady that owned it had passed away. I had not heard this and I am so sad to hear it. This lady was always so so nice to us. She sold my knitted critters in her shop and I use to get store credit. We would also just go there so I could get a yarn fix every now and then. She just loved Victoria and would always try to get her to come out of her shell when we were there. She liked to give her a little something just to brighten her day. Without her we wouldnt have Victoria's beloved Dragon Mittens that she has worn non stop all winter for the past 2 years. She chatted football with Joe and always commented to Megan on how tall she was getting.

She had decided to move to California to be near her children and grandchildren. She said she had always dreamed of living near the beach and decided the time was now. She had giggled with us as she talked about wanting to ride a motorcycle across country. It saddens me to say that I found out last night that she had only been in California for 2 weeks when she passed away. It just really puts you in that mindset of you just never know whats going to happen and to live every day as if it was your last. I am so glad that for at least 2 weeks she lived her dream.
She will be sorely missed.

Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Hat

This past week I finally got to add something new to my Etsy shop. I made this Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Hat and I love how it turned out. I love it so much I have since made a second one. They dont take very long to make. The second one I made is brown and a silver blue. It will be going to the craft sale that is coming sooner than I want to admit.


So many different colour designs start bouncing around my head when I think about making this hat. I think each one would give a different affect. You may be seeing more swirl hats in my shop in the future.


About a week ago I sent some knitted critters off to a lady I met through Etsy who asked me about doing some wholesale knitted items. I really meant to take a picture of them all together when they were finished but ended up finishing them and quickly sticking them in the mail. I sent her a baby monkey in blue and white, a fuzzy bunny that was big and fat and black and white, a Marcel Mouse and a lamb with a pink cardigan. I found out the other day that these guys are going to a real shop to be sold which is kind of exciting. So if you happen to be in New York city go to
Canine Country Club
at the dedicated Stoopher & Boots displays
452A Columbus Ave (between 81st and 82nd sts)
New York NY

If you happen to see them there I would love to hear about it. Maybe you can take a photo on location. That would be so fun.

Favourite Etsy Shop Friday

Favourite Etsy Friday Feature

Vessels And Wares
www.vesselsandwares.etsy.com

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Jeanette and I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I am a clay-nerd.

2. What made you open your shop and why Etsy?

I didn't want to be a health food store grocery buyer anymore. And my pottery was starting to pile-up. I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could support myself doing what I love. So I opened an etsy shop to begin building a business.

3. Do you sell your pottery anywhere else?

I have pottery in several stores nationwide.

4. How did you choose your shop name?

I really have no recollection of where my shop name came from. I remember drawing this hideous picture for a banner that included a sailboat. Some sort of clever/weird word-play on the "vessels" part. Thankfully, I didn't know anything about how to turn that picture into a banner at the time. But I kept the "vessels" in my name.

5. What are your favourite things to do?

I like reading and the internet. I like to cook. I like to wander aimlessly around thrift stores.


6. What inspires you?

Pretty much anything. I seem to have this urge to translate everything I see into clay. So I do lots of experimenting and playing in clay. Mostly, these little projects just sit around gathering dust. But every now and again, I will incorporate them into what I produce.

7. Of all your different pottery items, which do you enjoy making the most?

Berry bowls.

8. What is the most popular item you sell?

It is pretty evenly split between berry bowls, cupcake stands and mugs. I think.

9. What handmade possession do you cherish?

I am lucky to have lots of handmade items in my life. But one of my favorites is a small painting that my grandpa did. Unfortunately, he passed away before I was born, but that painting allows me to have a connection to him and his artwork.

10. Name 3 other Etsy shops you love to visit.

That is tough. Really, really tough. I have been known to lose hours just clicking away on etsy. I love looking at other people's favorites and have a ton of favorites myself.

New discovery:
animama

Just a gorgeous shop (and current source of inspiration):
Yellena

One of my favorite potters:
Kieffer Ceramics



Thank you to Vessels And Wares for taking part in my favourite Etsy shop feature this week. I love her pottery. Not only are the designs beautiful but the colours are amazing. Its so great when something is not only useful but pretty to look at at the same time. You just have to go over and take a look at the rest of the pottery in her shop. These pictures are just the tip of the iceberg. The trouble you will have is picking what you want to buy first.

Late Halloween Photos

I am finally showing off the pictures that I took at Halloween. A little late I know but here they are. I just had to show Victoria in her vampire costume. Her picks this year was to either be a vampire which she had been talking about since last Halloween or a late entry of being Darth Vader. She ended up going with a vampire which was nice and easy to do. One cape which apparently has to be black on the outside and red on the inside and a set of fangs that came with the makeup. She just loved those teeth even though they were a little big for her mouth and turned her into a very drooly vampire hehe. She was very specific about wanting the blood dripping from her mouth as well.


This Halloween we saw a completely different Victoria. I was so proud. In the past we had to walk her up to every door as she edged her way there. She wouldnt say Trick or Treat and was to shy to say Thank You. This year she was running to each house, shouting trick or treat and saying thank you all over the place. The only thing we had to do was keep saying slow down so that we could all catch up to her. It was pretty chilly that night but she was determined to be a true vampire and refused to admit she was cold to put a jacket on. Her hands were red with cold but she wanted no part of being warm and who were we to rain on her parade hehe.



So this Halloween brought Victoria out of her shy shell a bit and it was wonderful to see. Now Megan being 15 said she didnt want to dress and all she wanted to do was be with her friend Maya so off she went. I knew being with Maya that some dressing up would have to take place, I was right. It was very Megan's style though. She wore her panda hat that I made her and her Zebra mask on the back of her head so she was a Zebra and a Panda. Wish I could have seen that hehe.



I just had to show the drawings that Victoria did on her pumpkin this year. They make me giggle when I see them. I just love the monster. He reminds me of a monster from Where The Wild Things Are. We were all impressed. She is a good artist, even her Art teacher has told us so. Just like her big sister.


Victoria is still talking about this message she wrote on her pumpkin. If you are having trouble seeing it, it says, Vampire! run for yor lives! She thought this was really good.

So that was our Halloween this year. I hope everyone else had a great one too.

A Little Bit Of Sugar

Ive been meaning to share my sweet little bear for a while. Her name is Sugar. She was found a Handmade Teddy Bear Convention that I went to many years ago with my friend Nerida. My love of handmade bears comes from her. She and her mother make wonderful mohair bears and when your around that you cant help but fall in love with them. Sugar was part of a set. Her partner is Spice and he is brown. Nerida bought Spice and we couldnt seperate them so I bought Sugar.


While living in America my sister had gone over to my Mum's house and seen Sugar there because all our stuff is still at her house. She decided that Sugar wanted to come and visit her house for a while. Well this was a very long visit. You could say Sugar moved in. Years and years she had been there. When Kylie said they were coming to America I realized this was an opportunity to have at one of my bears here so I asked her to bring her with her. She is kind of heavy so posting her would have been alot. My collection isnt that big, I probably have about 3 more sitting in my mum's house just waiting to join me. I especially miss Charles Winston III the eccentric millionaire. He has such character. These bears are such a luxury so I dont get them very often. I do drool on Etsy alot though hehe. If you checked out my favourites list you would find quite a few of them dotted throughout my long list.


One sad thing happened to poor Sugar during her stay with my sister. She had this puppy and apparently she didnt realize Sugar was a special bear and thought she was a rather nice puppy chew toy. My dear Sugar now has no ears due to some puppy nibbling. I was shocked a little when I saw them as I was informed that they were just torn a little only to find there really are no ears left but it just means I have to give her extra love and hugs. Im so glad to have her here with me. Thanks Kylie for lugging her all this way.

Favourite Etsy Shop Friday

Favourite Etsy Shop Feature

Beastlies
www.Beastlies.etsy.com

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hello, I'm Leslie. I live in LA, and I make the Beastlies. When I'm not sculpting, I work at a comic book store. I love comics almost as much as tiny monsters...

2. What made you open your shop and why Etsy?
Well, I first became a fan of Etsy as a buyer. And then a few years ago, I made some little figures and took them to a comic book convention to sell. I was really excited when people actually liked them and bought them, so I thought I'd give it a shot on Etsy. It just seemed like the natural place for little handmade critters.

3. Do you sell your Beastlies anywhere else?
I still love taking them to comic conventions, so I do three or four of those a year. Usually the San Diego Comic Con, the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco, Stumptown in Portland, and later this month I'll be at Designer Con in Pasadena. I also bring some Beastlies into Meltdown, the comic shop where I work.

4. How did you choose the name for your little monsters?
At first I was just calling them Little Beasties, but I wanted a name that would be more unique, something that wasn't quite a normal word. So I combined beasties with my first name and liked how that sounded.


5. What are your favourite things to do?
Luckily for me, I really love to sculpt and create characters. I already mentioned that I love comics, both reading them and helping create them (I sculpt the weekly Atrox comics at theatrox.com). That sums up the majority of my waking hours, right there...

6. What inspires you?
I always love to see amazing character design, from the Muppets to vinyl toys. I also love to go to aquariums or just find photo books of strange or hilariously cute animals and take mental notes about the best features.


7. Which of the Beastlies is your favourite to make?
Anytime they look like they're yelling, or they look really especially dumb, those usually end up being my favorites.

8 How long does it take to create one of your Beastlies?
Usually in the neighborhood of an hour. Sometimes a little more or less, depending on the complexity.


9. How do you come up with the Beastlies names and their profiles?
The names come from anything I can think of, pretty much. For the profiles, I focus on their expressions and think of what this creature would be like if it was up for adoption at an animal shelter. I used to work at a rabbit rescue organization, and I'd write little descriptions of each bunny that was looking for a home. When you're doing that, you try to think of creative and interesting ways to convey if a rabbit is especially friendly or curious or shy. That's the basic idea of what I'm trying to do with the Beastlies descriptions. Sometimes it wanders from that a little, but that's what I start with.

10. Name 3 other Etsy shops you love to visit.
lauren m. wong
Melissa Sue
Miss Monster


Thank you to Leslie for being my favourite Etsy shop feature this week. How can you not love these little guys. They each have different personalities but all equally as cute. Whenever I look at this shop it makes me want to collect them all. Megan and I spent an afternoon once just giggling over them while reading their profiles. You really do have to check out the sold section as well to see all of the Beastlies that have been made in the past. I think every household needs at least one Beastlie in it.

A Fluffy Black Kitty

Here is a custom order I have been working on for the past week. Her name is Olive as was told to me by her new owners. She was to be black and fluffy with olive green eyes, a pale pink nose and cream whiskers. She was also to have an olive green colour. I asked if she should have rhinestones on her collar and it was said that she was a kitty who needed rhinestones. I really hope they like how she turned out.


They yarn that was used is Joann Sensations Beautiful. I hadnt used this yarn before but Megan and I have drooled over its complete softness so many times. I just knew I had to make this kitty in such a luxurious soft fluffy yarn. Every one in this house keeps harassing me on how fat this kitty turned out. I am trying to ignore the fact that she came out fatter than I thought she would. I have made this pattern before but in bunny form and he was much skinnier. I hadnt made this pattern in a long time and Im not sure if I adjusted the pattern when I had made it as this time I made it as was written. Gee I hope they dont mind that she is extra cuddly as I like to refer to it. Perhaps her super softness will make up the difference. Perhaps its just her fur that makes her look a little on the plump side.


I may end up making another one of these kitties soon as the customer hinted that they may just want one for themselves as well as the person they are giving this one too. Perhaps before they order I need to ask them do you want a sleek kitty or a plump kitty hehe.