Archive for December, 2008

I did mean to….

Monday, December 29th, 2008

write a Christmas post a little earlier but I’ve been far too busy stuffing my face with choccies and working my way through watching our Christmas Amazon order (lots of British dvd box sets).

However I had a lovely Christmas did you?   I took a picture of our first course yummy prawn cocktail………mmmmmm

and of course my dining companion

just kidding,  and besides it turns out that Lewis isn’t a big fan of prawns……how weird is that?   I got a pretty good haul of goodies this year (Markie did well)

Lots of kid robot goodies (a whole bag full)  and this is the pine cone necklace from Charmaine Anthony

I love it and these are the items he picked from Steve Tomashek’s Miniature Menagerie booth also from the Bucktown Bazaar

I love the little cat,  it’s as if he had seen Floyd and made him just for me……and who couldn’t love a raccoon on skis?

Oh and do you see that green rectangle in the background?  well that’s my new iphone….I wasn’t that fussed about getting one before but it’s brilliant!!!!  no more printing out directions to shows cos I have the whole internet at hand…….yaaaaaaay

Anyway I shall especially love  the convenience of my iphone next month, as we are off to San Diego again.  I can’t wait to be somewhere warm and mega excited that we will be staying at the Del Coronado,  or as I call it… Marilyn’s hotel as it was the hotel used in the movie Some like it hot.  

Well hope you had a fantastic Christmas and got everything you wanted (I did) and that you have a wonderful Happy and Healthy New Year.

Holiday Traditions

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

I love going to Chicago anytime of the year,  but Christmas time is especially brilliant.  Something about the sparkly lights and the crowded streets  bustling with shoppers laden with bags and towing excited children,  all vying to catch a glimpse of the holiday windows and the numerous trees dotted around the city.  It all makes me feel particularly Christmassy.

I also love going to the christkindlmarket.  It is fast becoming a holiday staple for us to wander around the little German themed market and enjoy a puff dog (yummy sausage roll) and a chocolate covered fruit skewer (heaven on a stick)

Above is a picture of one of the booths and I think you get the idea of how festive and wonderful it is here in Daley Plaza…..plus the whole place has the aroma of mulling spices and hot chocolate..mmmmmmm.  Even the horses are festive in Chicago,  or is that a reindeer?

Another of my favourite Christmassy essentials in Chicago has to be going to Marshall Fields (I am loathe to say Macy’s – I shall never forgive them for destroying the arcade area) I adore their Christmas windows and interior holiday displays,  and I particularly love the giant trumpets outside the store….you know the ones right?

And of course it snowed all day on Saturday,  it really was the most perfect holiday atmosphere……..I can’t believe Christmas is only 4 days away!!!  but I am certainly feeling much more festive now……..

Merry Christmas everyone.

In the meadow we can build a snowman…..

Friday, December 19th, 2008

We certainly can today as we had so much snow last night…..

It certainly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas round here,  oh and talking about looking a lot like Christmas check out my holiday decorations

I love my fireplace……..I got these excellent star stung lights  from Ikea in their sale last year (I think they cost a whole dollar)  and they are so cool

I may have to leave them up all year………we will see.  Oh and the tree of course

Geeesh I completely underestimated the size of the tree……..it’s huge!!!!!  I have a huge collection of ornaments but on this tree……you wouldn’t know it,  it has been suggested by a few people that I should make some more to fill in the gaps,  but no!!! I refuse it’s the holidays dammit and I don’t wanna!!!!! Although I did have to break my no stabby rule and  make myself a  little deer,  Oh how I wished I had kept one for myself which meant I had to suck it up and get on with it……Hope you guys are hitting the nog!!! hohoho

The Holidays are coming…….

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

finally.   The Holiday show (my last show of the year) was Sunday,  and while it was a lot quieter than previous shows a good time was had by all….. Architectural Artifacts the huge warehouse of cool schtuff and antiquieties that housed the craft fair was so cool,  it was one of those stores that you wander into out of interest and then easily spend the whole day wandering around and still not see everything inside (I love those kind of stores).  Anyway as always here is the obligatory booth shot

I am so glad to  be finished with the crazy crafting routine and now I can enjoy the upcoming holidays and not be thinking about needlefelting at 2 am yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!! (although knowing me I still will)

Anyway another sign that the holidays are coming is the fact that we picked up our Christmas tree yesterday morning.

I love going to our local garden center for a tree…….they turn their whole outdoor lot into a winter wonderland of trees and wreaths and giant pine cones…….it’s so Christmassy and they have at least 6 different choices of type of tree,  we decided on a 6 and a half foot tall Scotch pine  and it is now sitting in my living room waiting to be decorated.   I know what you are thinking now though…….but Lulu don’t you drive a mini cooper?  How on earth did you transport a 6 and a half foot tall tree from the lot to your living room?   Well isn’t it obvious?

Thankfully the garden center is only a few blocks away from our house so no arrests were made.

So today will be a day of Christmas pies and holiday decorating and hot chocolate and trying to stop crazy kitties from climbing the tree and playing with all the baubels…….and no panicking about  needle felting for shows…………..aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Bliss

Sleep is overated……

Friday, December 12th, 2008

So a couple of days ago I was contacted by a lovely woman interested in a bulk order of lovely felted Christmas ornaments for her tree………and look at what happens when you forfeit a few hours of bed

I really wanted to make these guys so I can mail them out with lots of time to spare for Christmas,  I just hope Marion likes everything and that they are how she envisioned them.

Another reason sleep is overated is who can sleep knowing that the Harry Potter exhibition is coming to Chicago……….I am so frickin’ excited for this I have a really strong desire to buy a million tickets for every day of it’s run ( April 30th – Sept 7th at the Museum of Science and Industry) and then just live there…….how awesome would that be?  they are going to set up the exhibits just like you are in the rooms of Hogwarts or Hagrid’s cottage or the Weasleys ……………………screaaaaaaaaaaam!!!! I’m so excited already 4 months is going to be a long wait!!!!!  what’s not a long wait is my last show of the year (what will I do at the weekends?)

So please come on by and wish the critters a Merry Christmas………..

4 Down and one to go……..

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

Shows that is,  yup as my last show is rapidly approaching I figured I should have some new goodies for the table….

I was asked to make a little black santa ornament by one of the lovely vendors at the Bcktown bazaar……and here he is

I hope she likes him as she will be picking him up on Sunday at the Holiday Show.  Of course making him set the ole noggin’ to ticking and now I have amassed a little Santa army

Now I would love to tell you he’s my new favourite thing to make……but he’s not.  Why? I hear you ask well simply because these guys are..

They are kind of a bigger version of my little snowmen ornaments with pipe cleaner arms and I am determined to keep a few for myself I absolutely love how they look………I am getting worse!!!!!

So these little goodies (and lots more)  will be available at the show on Sunday I hope to see you there

More Christmassy schtuff….

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

My last show of the year is quickly approaching,  and I can’t tell you how much this thrills me…..I don’t have my tree or decorations or anything done for Christmas yet as I have been far too busy with the stabby stabby……..sigh I love having a real tree decorated for the holidays and I think this is the longest I’ve ever gone without having one…….waaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Anyway I am currently working on some new goodies for the Holiday show (and for Anthology) I’ll share them with you soon.  I got a request for a little Christmas cardinal last week

I had forgotten how much fun the little birdies are to make,  so thanks for the request Elizabeth I hope he makes your holidays cheery.

Remember if you are in the N. Ravenswood area of Chicago on the 14th  to stop on by and say Merry Christmas to me and the critters at the Holiday show

Spectacular Craftacular!!!

Monday, December 8th, 2008

Wow it really was,  it felt like the whole of Madison at some point was in the hall.  I would like to thank all the wonderful shoppers for supporting  independent artists,  vendors for having the coolest schtuff  and most especially the organizers (glitterworkshop) for such a brilliantly organized and promoted show.

I managed to get a piccie of my booth in one of the 3 second lulls I seemed to get and also a rather fab pic of the hall

Lots of critters found fabulous new homes and lots of young artist were inspired,  check this out

How cute is their little penguin?  I am so impressed  as they made him only a few hours after purchasing the stabby kit from me!!!!   and  I am so thrilled to be spreading the needle felting obsession to others……yaaaaay a stabby invasion,  we will take over the world!!!!!  mwah haha

So I am going to be a very busy lady as The Holiday show in Chicago is this Sunday.   I had better get back to the stabby stabby.  But don’t forget

I’d love to see you there.

Randomness ……….

Friday, December 5th, 2008

It feels like so much is going on over here in Stabbyland and yet nothing at all,  all at the same time………if you get what I mean.

I guess it’s because I haven’t moved away from my work place very much in the last week (try month) and yet I’ve been receiving the most brilliant requests and pictures from my wonderful stabby customers showing me the critters in their new homes………I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know they are so loved.

Just look at Buttercup for example

Doesn’t she look happy?  and I think she is rather smitten with Marco the fabulous sock critter made by her new owner……. I just love that picture.

One request I had that was rather fun was from Miss Bea (one of my favourite Etsians).  Her son Noah’s Christmas list read as follows……. an MP3 player, Animal Crossings, and something from poorlulu.  Oh the pressure I mean how can I possibly compete with an mp3 player?   Well Miss Bea said he loves his hamster Ruby just look at his Etsy store for proof.  So here is Ruby for Noah

I hope Noah loves him just as much as the real Ruby………I certainly did which is why I was inspired to make Gary the Gerbil

I love all things mousey like so of course  he has my heart.

Remember this weekend me and the critters will be in Madison for the day at the Madison Masonic Center at 301 Wisconsin Avenue  from 10 a.m to 6 p.m and did you know that the first 50 shoppers through the door get a fabulous printed canvas tote bag stuffed full of free goodies from the crafters?   How cool is that?

So stop on by and say hi to the critters

White elephants on parade…….

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

So this time every year my hubby’s work has a bit of a Christmas party involving schtuffing yer face with food and swapping white elephant gifts (who exactly came up with the term of white elephant for a gag gift?  I mean it’s kinda odd right? It could just as easily be say a chunky chicken gag gift?  or am I overthinking this?)

Anyway back to the story,  last year I made him a little scientist for the exchange (and the fact it kinda resembled his boss was merely a coincidence  I assure you………..ahem)  and this year I took a little break from my crazy show crafting schedule and made him a little Marie……..

Above is the lovely Marie and below is my homage to her in wool……

I hope she isn’t to offended.

So I’m back to stabbying frenzy for Saturday’s show.  It’s the Craftacular in  Madison Masonic Center at 301 Wisconsin Avenue and will be on from 10 a.m to 6 p.m.  I can’t wait for this one as I adore the regular vendors and the organizer of this show so much,  it’s always a good time and really has quickly become a holiday tradition for me.  I hope if you are in the are you will stop on by and wish the Critters Happy Holidays………