So I finally got on with the long awaited task of adding some new goodies to the critter box line……… (about time right?)  I’m really excited about the Valentine Craftacular at the High Noon in February and figured that would be the perfect place to debut the new guys,  but of course I’ll let you guys take a peek first……  inspired by my trip to California

Dolphins

Koalas

Pandas

and my personal favorites…….Snails

Anyone who reads my blog with any kind of regularity knows that every once in a while I kinda get attached to some of the critters……you know I love making them more than others and every time I catch a glimpse of them smile like a loon.  Well the snails are my new guys for that……….I just adore them!!  (many thanks to Kim of lula and deedee for suggesting I make them)  I just hope other people will feel  like I do about them.

So now the countdown starts……….It’s less than 2 weeks for the aforementioned Valentine Craftacular in Madison and I am stabbying away in anticipation for it……. gaaaaaaaaaaaa better get back to it pronto!!!

But all I caught was some silly love bugs

They are pretty cute but they have a pretty effective little bite……….buggers!!!

I also made some Valentine candies

So basically I am just excited to be going to California tomorrow.  The snow is still thick on the ground here,  and it’s bloomin’ freezing to boot,  the thought of spending some time outdoors on the beach makes me jump for joy.  Making the valentine’s goodies did make  me excited for spring and Easter and warmer weather though………..alright see you in two weeks.

He is ………can you believe it?   I can,  as he has been hanging out with me for the last few days…….

It’s been kind of off putting having Santa stay at my house as I have so much work still to do for this weekend’s craft fair extravaganza, and he keeps tutting and saying he only gets one night to prepare not weeks and weeks like I had …….personally I’m envious of his elves as I can’t imagine Santa is very handy at making schtuff  at all, at least not that I’ve witnessed…….

So yes this weekend  don’t forget if you are in the Madison area to stop by and say hello to the critters and myself at the

at the Madison Masonic Center, 301 Wisconsin Ave,  the first 50 shoppers get a free goody bag………how sweet is that?

And for the Chicagoans out there stop by the Bucktown Bazaar and say hello to the critters and Markie (I’ll be there on Sunday)

Gaaaaaaaaa so much to do……..I feel like the white rabbit  “I’m late,  I’m late”   best got on with it…………

That’s the sound of the Christmas countdown……Every day the ticking gets a little louder,  and makes me just a little more manic.   Last week I did (finally) manage to get some goodies to Anthology,  The cat and crow and Unique Yarns so a little pressure is of me. But the Craftacular and the Bucktown Bazaar is next week so I need to be VERY productive this week as it’s the 2 shows on the same  weekend……………waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa what was I thinking?

I did make something else new for the shows although I will also list them in the shop………

What do you think?  little snowman hair clips……….I’m going to make a few more as I really like how they turned out…

One of my favourite thing about doing the shows is meeting so many wonderful people and getting the critters a wonderful new home where they will be loved everyday……Last show was Mr Orange’s turn,  Rachel saw him and they fell in love and now he is causing mayhem at her house…

Makes me feel so happy to see him ready to fight for his patch of the tower,  thanks for taking him in Rachel.

What I’ve been working on for ages………..

It’s always a challenge to get prepared for winter shows when needle felting takes so long,  I’ve been knitting mini scarves and stabbying snowmen since the start of July so it’s nice to finally show them to you……..although I do kinda think to soon to share?………….nah It’s almost November,  gulp can you believe it?   I’m shocked at how fast this year has flown by.

Anyway I will be starting to add the Christmas goodies to the shop so grab ’em quick as my first show is less than 2 weeks away……………eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!!

I’m not sure I’ve said that enough,  but you guys come up with the coolest suggestions for critters……..and I sincerely thank you for being so cool and brilliant.  Sher (Blinky’s soon to be new owner) requested a chicken ornament sort of a cross between the lil’ roasters and the chunky chickens……….and so here we have the lil’ cluckers

I really am so grateful for the requests,  as sometimes I think my craft mind has a tendancy to get stuck just a little bit in a rut…..especially when I am preparing for shows.    I made a few of these guys as I love how he turned out and seeing as how my quest for egg cups with chicken feet has turned into real holy grail territory maybe this is the way to go afterall.

I guess it’s not going to come as a surprise to you guys when I say I love pop culture,  and so when I got a request for a Blinky the 3 eyed fish from The Simpson’s I was very excited to get started on him.   So excited I got carried away………

I just loved how he turned out and I hope the requester does too ( thanks for the request Sher).    I am hoping to have at least a few of them for  the upcoming shows but of course I’ll list them in the shop too.

I’m loving the Bazaar Bizarre poster and oooooh look at the craftacular poster

With posters like that I can’t wait for the shows.

Spiders

So I’m lovin’ my little incy wincys……I attached them to a long elasticated nylon cord so they can bounce around,  plus it looks a little like web.  I think they are going to be the last of my Halloweeny offerings before The St Cornelius Fall Fest which is GULP  this weekend……………..waaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!  So much still to do and organise……….yikes.

So I will add them to the shop as they are really fun to make and I wouldn’t mind making them any time of the year anyway,  I guess spiders aren’t really just for Halloween anyway.

Little turkeys are here,  I had the idea of them being place card table settings for thanksgiving……Do people still do that? If you are wondering why my piccies are a bit crappy it’s because I had to use my i phone camera as Mark has taken the good camera away with him.  He’s taking part in the Single Speed World Championship in Durango and is staying in Santa Fe,  gotta admit I’m a little jealous……….good god,  not about the cyle race!!! but Santa Fe looks like a beautiful place I wouldn’t mind checking out sometime,  although not when there’s a thousand smelly, lycra wearin’ cyclists in town.

So why the gulp?  well I have 2 new shows to add to my list of upcoming winter shows,  I just found out I got accepted into Bazaar Bizarre in Cleveland a 2 day show in Ohio and I am really excited about it!!!  I don’t know why but I applied and then instantly convinced myself I wouldn’t get in……….talk about a doom and gloom merchant huh?  I guess I should really knock that off.  I also heard from the Craftacular in Madison and I will be vending there this year too …..yaaaaaaaaay I always have a good time at that show……….So my list of shows so far are

The St. Cornelius Fall Fest on Saturday, October 3rd in Chicago

The Red Sled Holiday Bazaar on Saturday November 7th in La Grange, Illinois

Craftacular in Madison Wisconsin on the 28th of November

Bazaar Bizarre on Saturday the 12th of December and Sunday the 13th in Cleveland Ohio

So not bad 4 shows (so far) I think I’m going to have to get very busy soon………….waaaaaa

booooooo….

Did my lil’ Halloween ghosties scare you?   They hope so,  trouble is they are just too cute to be terrifying……poor guys.  I made the ghosties for my batch of Octoberie goodies I’m working on in preparation for my fall show,  I still have a few more ideas I want to work on but I am starting to feel good about my quantities of  Autumnal offerings and I will of course add them to the shop today.

This past weekend we went to Chicago for the Renegade craft fair.  I was incredibly excited about this years show as one of the new vendors was someone who’s work I fell in love with about a year ago when  I purchased some of his comic books at Quimby’s (a fantastic comic book store in Chicago).  Anyway his name is Matthew Reidsma and he is awesome,  so of course within 5 seconds of finding his booth I had pretty much blown my Renegade shopping money,  but the original artwork I got is so super cool I’m sure I will be gushing about him for a long time to come.

Anyway here are my Renegade goodies. I bought some  beautiful hand painted roving from kitchen sink dyeworks and Hands and Notions.  And I’m thinking the colorways are perfect for my rotten eggs for Easter……..argh good grief can you believe it?  I’m thinking of spring 2010 and it’s not even through September 2009…….how mental is that?  Oh well i guess it’s good (and totally unlike me) to be prepared.