Animal Welfare Adventures (a.k.a. "Why I Have No Craft Photos to Post")

I love this dog--love her. I'm not even a dog person, really, but she's cuddly and smart and she actually smells good most of the time. She doesn't bark or run away, and she seems to love me back. This is only one reason why the past two days have been painful.
Seems she ate about 8 ounces of dark chocolate chips early Monday morning, and in case you don't know what happens when a dog eats lots of chocolate, I have two words for you: heroin withdrawals. I myself haven't had any direct experience with heroin or withdrawals (except maybe when I tried to give up soda), but I've seen movies, and if you have, too, that ought to give you some idea of what I and my little dog have been through. She shook like mad for a solid ten hours, paced a lot, and drank about four gallons of water, but at least the vomit smelled like, well, chocolate. The upshot (besides the good-smelling vomit) is that she's fine now. Whew.
In happier animal-related news, here' s Miss Annabelle winning a gift certificate in honor of her raising the second-largest amount of money for Farm Sanctuary at The Walk for Farm Animals we did Saturday here in Portland. I love this kid, too. Lots.

Zombies Take Montreal?

It's done! Yes, the week of staycation-style revelry has slowed my progress, but I managed to complete this late last night while cuddled next to Mark as he watched Pirates of the Caribbean.
Honestly, such hours represent some of my happiest--sewing next to my sweetheart, while a movie plays, usually something nerdy about pirates or astronauts or zombie killers.
A study in contrast, I guess. Cute, felty scenes at my fingertips, apocalyptic mayhem on the screen. It's all good.

Little House Ornaments (and "It's Wednesday already?")

Adding these guys to the shop in a trickle, between romantic lunches and slothful dvd viewing with my young man.
It's going by too quickly, but oh, it's sweet.

Coolest. Clock. Ever.

Right? It's a mid-century GE number, and it was love at first sight over at Sal's (a.k.a. The Salvation Army) despite the hard, decades-old, dry-rotted masking tape goo that covered the front. How awesome are Magic Erasers? I sometimes have a nagging voice in my head that says, "Magic is probably corporate code for cancer-causing chemicals," and yet, I love 'em.

Back soon with crafty bits--my hard-working man has a week off, very nearly the only time I've spent with him in months, so I put the needle and thread down for a while. Today we ate a little picnic lunch by the sea, soaking up this unexpected September glory. Come on, folks, I showed you his picture, right? Can you blame me for not getting much sewing done? ;-)

When I call you a monkey, it means I love you--really.

We have a saying around here when we think somebody's doing a good job, really pulling off their task, or when we think a thing is basically awesome. We say, "Those monkeys are smooth." I wish I could explain the genesis of this particular Crowe-ism, but I can't. Suffice it to say, it's high praise. And I think you monkeys are pretty darn smooth. Your comments make me laugh, and they make me feel so excited about what I'm doing and what you're doing. They make me want to meet your kids, have you over for tea and vegan snickerdoodles. Because of all the commenty goodness, I might be getting addicted to giveaways, so before I start sending out the dishes and the sheets, I think you ought to pop your heads in occasionally just to say hi. Come on, monkeys. Don't be shy.

Anyhow--this time 'round, ye ol' random number generator picked Annie, who said, "My sweet Sophia would absolutely love this precious pillow! She LOVES all things G-I-R-L! :)" Send me your mailing address, Annie (to the email address over on the ride hand side of the blog), and a nice puffy package will arrive in a few days!

These totally-unrelated pictures are here, btw, because of the essential illegality of the photo-less blog post, but they also represent two new hoops that are in now in my shop.

In the Night Studio

Tonight I'm working on a custom Montreal cityscape. Makes me want to move to Montreal--that is, if I weren't so in love with P-town. Back in the morning to announce the pillow winner!

Oh, Deer--It's a Girl (or "Another Giveaway")

So--this wool felt panel was the very first thing I made from pure, 100% wool felt, from a multi-pastel pack gifted to me by my friend, the artist Lara Cannon. The sheets seemed so small and so precious that, despite my instant desire to use it all up, I took care to make something small, so as to make it last. I was instantly hooked, needless to say.
Recently, I decided to make this panel into a decorative pillow, perfect as it seems for the nursery of some pretty little girl baby. Then, I realized that I'm fully unprepared at this time to contend with the new rules for labeling items intended for children (wall hangings, thankfully, exempt but bedding, not so much). So I'm hoping one of you has the perfect spot for this bit of applique, with its sentimental value and its colorful, soft sweetness.
It would make a lovely shower gift if you don't have a wee girl of your own. If you'd like a chance to get "g-i-r-l" in the mail, leave a comment on this post. I'll close 'em down on Wednesday at midnight and pick a random winner. Thanks, y'all.

After Picnic (a.k.a. "Report from a Rainy Park")

See this fountain? It had no water in it--when the day began.
Yup, things started out quite nicely--our booth (which I shared with Liz and Mark from Milo in Maine) looked sweet, and the company was fantastic. Annabelle was ready for a day of photography, hanging with friends, and hardcore craft shopping.
Betsy's shutters were perfect for my hoops and ornaments, and cuteness was the order of the day.
The sun was shining and minutes past 11:00 (opening time), folks were flocking in--Milo's $5 trunk was an instant success, and I made a flurry of sales before noon. (I loved meeting those of you who introduced yourself to me--best part.)
Noon was, unfortunately, when it started raining. And it did. not. stop. But the flocking did. And, consequently, the sales did, too.

As a result, I'm working on a good-sized shop update, which if today's lovely, sunny weather (???!) holds up, I should be able to manage by tomorrow or Tuesday. Wait for it!

Picnic or Bust

Bunting (test-driven at my sister's 25th birthday party and given the shabby-chic, understatedly-festive thumbs up): check.
Display mechanism (two of these clever standing shutters with s-hooks for hanging hoops n' things borrowed from Portland artist and new friend Betsy Thompson): check.
As much wool-felt goodness as my little fingers could sew (ornaments, hoops, and sachets--oh my!) plus new note card sets and notebooks and a few other bits and pieces): check.
Two super-cool partners in crime (who will sell their beautiful screen-printed t-shirts, scarves, and bags under the same awning as little old meeee): check and double check.

Wish me luck, y'all. I'll be back asap to let you know the scoop on Picnic 2009!

Labor Day

Here are the labors of two Monday crafters--Annabelle stringing a bunting to decorate Mom's booth at Picnic. (I think I got this basic idea from The Long Thread, but now I can't find it no matter how hard I try.) We selected the fabrics together (from my full-to-bursting scrap drawer), cut small triangles with pinking sheers, and used a big-eyed needle and fat string to thread in and out of each little bit of fabric at the top of the triangle. It's pretty darn cute and super easy (though it got tangled a few times and nimbler fingers had to intervene).
And here--finally--is the finished "hej hösten," which I promised to show you days ago.
You are a patient lot, my dears, and for that I am forever grateful!

A-Okay

I reckon I'll be back later today with a photo of the finished "hej hosten," but for now I had to pop in and share these ones. At the top is a picture of Annabelle taken just a few days ago, right after she donated 10" of hair to Locks of Love. She's looking pleased with herself, and she is--on both moral and aesthetic grounds.
This second image is one of my favorite pictures of Annabelle, and I haven't seen it in a long time. When I stumbled across it this morning, it made me a little breathless. She's three in this picture, and her father (a stay-at-home dad at the time) had taken her to the Cabage Patch Kids factory/museum/store near Gainesville, Georgia, where I was teaching at a residential arts camp for gifted teens in order to make extra money during my summer break from grad school. The store is like a hospital where you "adopt" the baby of your choice, and this is the one A. selected. Unfortunately, a couple of minutes after this picture was taken, Mark discovered the dolls cost nearly $200. (What?!) Since we were living on a stipend of about twelve grand a year back then (and in a grad student apartment with cinder block walls and a recurring mildew problem--think prison cell), Annabelle couldn't have the doll. To hear Mark tell it, she relinquished it quite agreeably and settled for a small, black-and-white stuffed cat, which she still has now.

As I prepare for her to begin the fifth grade on Wednesday, as she begins to look more like a big girl (a woman? gasp) every day, this photo is both a comfort and a sadness, reminding me as it does of her smallness and her growth, if that makes any sense, of her vulnerability and her massive potential. I can't wait to see who she becomes this year.

On the Work Table

All cut out and ready to sew. To be called "hej hosten" (with two little dots over the "o" that I can't figure out how to make on blogger), which means "hello autumn" in Swedish.
Some months back, I made a spring version on dark blue linen, snapped up by my dear bloggy friend Elissa, and I just can't get enough of making felt birch trees, so I'm at it again this season. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

Hello, September (Hello, Stress? Pshaw!)

I love you, September--your respite from heat, your warm, slant light, the cool-faint-dirt smell of your morning air, the way you invite me to wear jeans with flip flops (oh, the sweet incongruity). But you always bring with you so many tasks, and I know it's time to pull out the day timer when you come around.This morning I have been taking stock of what's ready to go to Picnic, and I'm wondering if I would ever think it enough, even if I'd made twice as many things. I keep going to bed hoping those shoemaker's elves will show up in the night! (Sometimes I think I hear them, but it's just my dog's toenails on the hard wood floors.)

Given all the work to be done, all the Septemberish deadlines and appointments, I buckled right down and sewed more ornaments right after taking the above photo, right? Wrong. I made paper dolls.
Because who else will if I don't? ;-)
p.s. I hear you loud and clear on the applique kits, and I appreciate all your thoughts. I'm wondering if they should include instructions for a project? Some folks said they'd like to see felt bundles without hoops, too. I'm thinking through all of this, and I'll keep you posted!