Christmas Craft Fair circuit

Whew!

With 3 out of 4 craft fairs done, I am ready to take a break today.

And of course, taking the time to say hello to you is on the top of my list!

This table set up was at the Ingomar sale. 

Jam packed on a 5 foot table.

I can confidently say that most things on this table are gawn.

 

For some reason, I don't have a picture of my sale at the Fire Hall, so I move on to the sale at The Grand Hotel in Yarmouth.

Sorry for the fuzzy... I cleaned my lens after this.

I can confidently say, that most things on this table are available.

Weird show.. Widely advertised and attended, but not a lot of buying. hmm?

 I needed a break from sweater sewing one day, so I played around with cashmere scarves.

Voila... hot water bottle covers. love em

 These cashmere infant hats are soo soft and adorable.

Like my balloon display?

Basket of mittens from sales ago. 

All gone, but I do have more. Of course.

 I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little kid section.

Those puppets please me.

And working with the felt in hair clips and tooth fairy bags. niiice

My first batch of stockings. gawn

My second batch. All available

And amongst the Christmas making, I got to make this little one for a new wee one in the world.

With a reversible dress.

One more craft sale on FRIDAY, at the Lockeport Pavillion 12-4

I will have a few more things added. Hopefully with a kid focus.

For a more up to date view of what I am doing,

check out my facebook page

ta ta for now....

Amanda

craft making

Howdy!

Well, winter has set in and regular routine has taken it's hold again.

There's been less screen time in this house to make some of these instead.

 It comes from the book The Cuter Book by Aranzi Aronzo

The kids love this book because 1. the felt friends are cute, 2. the instructions are amazingly illustrated.

I get them to trace the pattern and cut it out, then I cut it from felt. 

They don't want to mess up the felt cutting so they leave that to the pro. :} 

Their stitching has improved.

 I even made the bunnies. (sorry sucky cell phone picture)

 Here are a few other feltie books we've enjoyed looking through and pondering over which to do next.

 I was so happy when Mollie Makes had an American edition and so sad when they canceled it.

But, to their credit, Mollie Makes UK are honouring their North American subscriptions by substituting with the UK version. A great win. (I regret that I didn't sign up for a 2 year subscription).

The UK version usually comes with a gift. And yes, they sent it over here too.

Cool beans.

 Even though the Christmas Mitten rush is over, I still get calls for mittens. I really need to stock up for such calls, as sometimes, people are just passing through and are not able to wait for a few days while I make them. There are some though, that live just close enough to put in an order.

Thank you. I've been busy.

 And then, this happened!

 My lovely sailor boy turned 11!!!

But now, in this winter season, he's skating boy!

And that makes me so happy.

 This is not our pond, but the neighbour's field that floods. Perfect. It's a long one too.

Now our sailing and scooter boy can enjoy the outdoors in the winter. And that he does!

It's been a white winter wonderland in these parts.

Even the birds look good.

Have a good one,

Amanda

Fingerless mittens

Soooooo,

How goes?

I have something exciting to show you, but first, I must mention an occurrence that will be happening tomorrow.

Mother of all Storms!

I've played pioneer woman this afternoon, stapling the plastic tarps on the chicken run, wood piles and getting 3 loads of wood in and outside the door. 

'Cause folks, they say it will be a doozy. 

With a storm surge. With the last storm surge warning, it did indeed flood on Dock Street. 

I'll keep you updated.

Now, onto the thing at hand...

On my hands...

I did a little pattern shopping with

Jan at Fibers and Twigs

 Fingerless mittens... with Thumbs! I've had many requests over the years for fingerless mittens, but I'd not found a pattern I was happy with. Most of them were just a sleeve with an opening in the seam for your thumb to stick out. These... these have actual thumbs! 

 Jan's patterns are very thorough. There are multiple sizes that are printer ready. Her written instructions come with pictures. I was very impressed with them. I ordered 5 different ones!

Wonder what I'll make next?

The ones on the left (size large) are available at the Flying Fox Bake Shop.

 Along with a few pairs of mittens... some lined, some unlined.

I'm going to fill the bathtub and a few other prep things, just in case...

Have a good one,

Amanda

WIP ( works in Progress)

WOW! Did you get hit by the bug?

Everyone in town that i know has been touched by the bug. Everyone!!

I didn't even escape it, but the boys in our house did. Still waiting for it to hit them.

So yesterday, my day to be vertical, but not in full motion, I finally started this project which has been living in my brain since I saw it many months ago.

EEKK!!! Can you believe it? I've been following Mimi's Blog for many years now. And to actually get some of the secrets of construction.. like the hair and limbs. Priceless.

This is a project of process, not the end result. I'm enjoying sewing slowly instead of cranking it out.

I have many ideas for mittens to come, but with a request to sew toddler mittens, 

I had to fancy it up a bit. 

 i think with the multi layers of the puppet mitten, it will be too small. So I made a single layer cashmere one to see if the stretch will help the fit.

 On the table this week...

Bird Puzzle that is being completed mostly by daddy and Rafael.

 neve's highly anticipated Kiwi Crate finally arrived!

Can I tell you.. it did not disappoint! It is such high quality and great activities in there.

As a crafter, I have to say, the materials are excellent. She went to work straight away.

I bought her and her cousins a 3 month subscription for Christmas. I may have to extend it.

If you buy into it, offer my name when they ask how you heard of it, I think we both get a credit? 

Anyhow, also on the table are the walkie talkies. 

That means the kids have been riding bikes outside. 

YES! 

We had a very long few days with rain. It makes riding bike much easier to have clear roads. 

But alas, short lived, it's snowing now. 

We'll put the walkie talkies on the charger for another time.

How have you been filling the looming winter days lately?

Ciao,

Amanda

Matching Bomber Hat and Mittens

I offered up this set for our Yacht Club's auction.

yeah, too bad about the seam in the back ( the blue stripe not lining up) Does it drive you nuts too?

Lined with the softest cabled cashmere.

Mitts and hat from one sweater. Even the string was from the sleeve. Bonus

oo, the green below is a little brighter than my actual wall. I wanted to show you the bunting from Target. They had some birds and trees that were cool too. Love me some felted wool.

While we're at it.. here is a pic of my newly painted living room.

Soft blue. Pale Sky, as the colour was called. Don't you love my light fixture!?? I'm waiting until the right one comes along. I think the disco balls are enough to distract you from the real gore.

And the piano. There are many different shades of the blue in this room. 

Only one small window, but a few other door openings.

This.. this was a full bowl of popcorn. I ate the whole thing. 

This was the largest bowl of the set. I ate the whole thing. 

My stomach is ill.

The popcorn is the best ever. White kernels from Bulk Barn. No nasty kernels. Pops quickly and is truly white. Except when you pour brown butter all over it. Yum

Timer for the banana bread is calling me.

Have a good one.

craft show bonanza!

umm, hello.... 

is anybody out there?

When the blog is quiet, life is not.

Last week, i got to return to my old neighbourhood in Toronto.

What a great whirlwind visit, despite a raging cold I got whilst there.

So glad to see everyone and to do all that was on my list.

Thanks to all.

So this week, I did two craft shows with my co-hort.. Barb.

The table on the left holds my woolen bits

 On the right, from the Glass Gallery 138

 My sweater shopping in Toronto did not disappoint.

 But can I just ask, "where are all the stripped sweaters?" 

Guess they weren't trendy last year. People haven't shrunk them yet.:}

This basket of mittens is only the outers. I still had linings to make at this point. It was Friday. A day where the kids had no school and 2 craft fairs on the weekend kind of day. STRESS.

Don't they look purdy? But now, they're all gone! Save for about 3 pairs uncompleted.

Thanks to those who bought. Enjoy. I enjoy seeing my mittens about town on other people's hands. :}

hmm, let's see. in the glass world...

Was inspired by some new white glass and happy coloured glass.

the cut glass, she go in...

 And then she come out....

all nice and smooth.

Notice the little blobby bits in the corners. Now scroll back up and see how they started out.

you're back.

Isn't that the coolest thing! 

 Glass cut into pieces willy nilly with tile cutters come out as cute blobs.

I used previous blobs as the centres of the square tiles.

Well, that's seems like enough tales today.

Stay tuned tomorrow...

A full review of the chicken's first experience with SNOW!

Oh, and it seems we now have 2 egg layers. :}

Have a good one.

Amanda

Finger Puppets have been found!

Oh wait, you didn't know that did you?
I think I put that on my face book page.
Anyhow, they were on the cd player in the children's room! Go figure.
Now I can take some pictures of my new bear finger puppet.

And in even more exciting news..

MORE SWEATERS!!

 A hill of them in fact.

Last night, we took a trip into the city to see Holly Cole

Now that lady is an entertainer and an amazing musician.

What a voice.

But back to the story of sweaters....

A quick trip to 2 Value Villages.

The first bought some passable sweaters, not terribly exciting, but will work in combination with others.

Then the 2nd store... well, the men's section did not disappoint!

This sweater is special. It was shrunken when I bought it, but when I felted it at home, well....

It's mini.

It's so tight, it stands up on it's own.

 This is not mitten material! There is no stretch.

So... I'm asking you for your consideration....

What should I make with it?

Purse

Cushion Cover

iPad cover

Christmas Stocking

Other ideas?

I will leave it up to you. Or what ever my whim decides when it's time to cut it up.

Cheers,

Amanda

Sweater trees

With a few bags of sweater bits, I sat on the floor in the middle of it and cut circles. Then some more, 

 then some more,

  until I had a little collection of trees. 

 Sweater Trees. Not sure what to do with the top yet. But you know I'll show you when I figure it out.

 Last weekend, my table was in the middle of the aisle. It's the first time I had such, so had to rethink and set the table as a walk around.

Kiddie things and ornaments on one end...

 Sweater things on the other. Some heat sacks, water bottle covers, puppets and mittens.

 My wood bin was very colourful. Felt-ful! Hair clips, felted acorns, tooth fairy bags, 

Pirates and ballerinas

 Here is a shot of my mittens at the Whirligig Bookstore. Sadly, these mittens are all gone. And so endeth my wool mittens. However, I'm ready to start a new line for my next sale in Ingomar, Dec. 8. Cotton mittens with cashmere or merino lining. Coming soon.

Have a good one,

Amanda