Ok, ok I apologize for the terrible pun,   I just wanted to show you how I spent last weekend.

We went whale watching…and it was awesome!!!!!  If you are in the Boston area it’s a really great way to spend the day.  The whales are incredible to watch,  and they seem to like the attention as they come very close to the boat.  The ferry was fun too (thankfully the sea wasn’t that choppy) and allowed me to see Boston from a whole new angle

Boston sure is a pretty place.

This weekend is a Sowa Market Sunday for me and the critters and I have some new goodies made to come with me including a new big guy…..I’ll post in a bit and show ’em off to you I just wanted to show you a bit of randomness for now.

Boston is most definitely my kind of town……….so again I apologize for my lack of blogging and it’s certainly not because there is nothing going on it’s in fact the exact opposite.   The first sowa market I vended at was on June 5th and it was absolutely fabulous……so many warm, wonderful and welcoming people and if you are in the area I highly recommend you check it out it’s 3 parts,  a farmers market a vintage market and a crafty artsy fartsy market (where we are) .

We had the best time and we also met Carolyn a rather lovely woman who requested a knitting Gromit and sheep to sit on her shelf and here they are

It was wonderful to make these guys for Carolyn,  and I really hope she likes ’em.  Last Sunday at the  market a new critter found a wonderful forever home……..

Blair the polar bear,  I never got a shot of Blair when he was finished so this is my only piccie of him…….he sure looked happy to be going to his new home though and I love that his new mum was super happy to welcome him to Boston.

So  as you can tell I’m loving living in Boston,  I promise I will try and be a better blogger and keep you more regularly updated with all the critter news.

Okay so first of let me apologize for my lack of news,  but I have a really good excuse I swear……….WE ARE MOVING!!!!! gaaaaaahahhhahaaaa!!!!!

Yup that’s right no longer will I be able to say “Rockford home of the sock monkey and me”  (and I really did like to say that) as I will be in Boston instead.  so  I’m going to have to think of something clever involving tea parties and beans……….Ooooh it’s not every day you read a sentence with clever and tea parties in it,  in fact that may be a first.

So yeah thankfully the fripperies have been selling well (less stuff to pack) and I am also ebaying a lot of stuff to not have such a hellacious move……..but as I explained last post I have A LOT of stuff ,  I have started the wrapping and packing part but I’m living in box city here and the critters are hating it.

I’ll keep you posted on the exciting part of moving and setting up but I’m going to be even slower on the updates (is that even possible I hear you ask).

Aaaaaaah look out Boston there’s going to be a critter invasion very soon.

Anyone who really knows me,  and has had the pleasure (ahem) of being in my home is very aware that I LOVE stuff.  But I started thinking when is it ever too much?  I mean seriously I’m buying shelves for storage and yet they then are instantly filled up with more stuff…………it has to stop……..no really I mean it……..honestly.

In an effort to find good homes for  my beloved stuff I opened a new Etsy store.  I called it Lulu’s Shabby Frippery and I invite you to check it out,  if only for you to see some of my favourite vintage goodies…….sigh how I wish I could keep it all,  but honestly that tv show hoarders has scared me a little,  really I am that bad for accumulating schtuff.

So other than being excited for my new shop,  I’m currently working on a custom little critter that is taking me longer than I had expected but when he is done I promise I’ll share him here.

So initially I came up with the title of this post to tell you all about my California vacation,  but as the days dragged on and my procrastinating about blogging continued,  I figured it was an apropos title for my sloth like behavior since returning from the land of blue skies to the land of snow and ice.

California was wonderful.  The Del Coronado was it’s usual wonderful, welcoming self and many a day was spent hanging out with my Coronado island buddy Marie whilst Markie was attending his protein conference.

Marie is a super talented artsy type, and she makes fabulous bags and goodies and she is super nice and the perfect Thelma to my Louise…..

A lot of time was also spent on the beach rescuing critters from gulls

Do you see the size of the little guy?  He was huge,  and so were the 2 gulls who had found him before I did……… fortunately for him they backed off when I came crashing along the beach looking for sand dollars.  He is still living his crabby life,  just a little further up the beach now.

La or Smell A as Marie calls it was brilliant too.  It was truly the Hollywood experience this time around as they were filming the muppet movie less than a block from our hotel.  It was so great to watch the big song and dance number being filmed outside the El Capitan I was so excited to see Miss Piggy and the gang (I was a huge fan as a kid never missed a show) and we made a buddy in Tom the extra…….he was hilarious and made watching the filming extra entertaining.   We also got to discover that Jason Segel cannot dance and Amy Adams has the patience of a saint.

It was so cool as they filmed on Hollywood Blvd almost every night of our stay……so I was very disappointed they had finished the night before we left……what would we do instead?  Oh I know hang out with paparazzi outside Katsuya by stark and watch the stars arrive to be photographed and seen…….oh I mean get dinner (ahem,  yeah right!).  In the 40 mins we waited we got all the celebrity gossip from the papazzi and saw Lorenzo Lamas (remember him?) apparently he’s going to be on dancing with the stars so he caused a flurry of activity for the paps and someone I was actually excited to see Nicole Scherzinger of the pussycat dolls……she was really nice and smelled so good,  she must spray herself with perfume constantly.

I did get a piccie snapped of me and Nicole but no I wont share it………….it does nothing for my self esteem.

So along with lots of shopping and eating and hanging out it was the perfect break from the cold snowy days.  Sorry it took me so long to share my news,  I’ll be back to share all the crittery goods I’ve been working on and am working on really soon……..promise,  and my fingers aren’t crossed.

What do you mean what’s Hogmany?  It’s what us Scots call New Years Eve,  and it’s when  we get all sentimental and of course have a drink……. merely to help us reflect on the past year you understand.   I for one can’t believe that a whole year has passed already,  not that I want 2010 to hang around for much longer.   Personally it hasn’t been a bad year for us but it certainly looks like it’s been more than difficult for so many others and I hope 2011 will be much kinder.

We did manage to make it out to the Christkindl Market in Chicago’s Daley Plaza this year (we messed up and missed it last year).  I love the market it’s all Christmassy and Mark made a few purchases for my stocking that were a lovely surprise on Christmas morning…….I’ll share my Christmas goodies in a blog post next year as I haven’t taken piccies of anything yet.

So I wish you all a wonderful Healthy and Happy 2011 and raise a glass and say Happy New Year Everyone…..I hope it’s a good one.

Santa Claus is coming to town………Eeeeeek It’s looking very Christmassy in Critterville.  The Christmas dinner has been ordered from Whole foods (cooking is not one of my “special” skills) the tree is decorated and stockings are hung by the fireplace.  And there is a warm glow in my cheeks,  although that’s probably more due to the Sierra Nevada Christmas beer…..yum festive.

I’m wrapping up the last of my custom orders and getting ready to enjoy a quiet Christmas at home.  AAAAAaaaaaaah how I love my annual tradition of locking the door on the 23rd and not unlocking it again until at least the 27th……bliss.

I thought I’d give you a little recap of the truly brilliant Bazaar Bizarre that happened in Cleveland last weekend.  Lots of Critters found truly awesome homes

I just love this show,  I bought lots of goodies and got to hang out with a couple of my favourite crafters ever,  Amy (oblinaknit) and Michelle her booth helper.

It’s always extra fun hanging out with them even if Michelle is a little addicted to texting,  thanks ladies for being so brilliant.  My booth you ask?  well ok I’ll share

There really was only one problem with my booth and that was that I was located right by  Lilly’s chocolates………oh my god!!!!  that stuff is deliciously good especially the chomp bar,  we chomped all day and bought a little stash for Christmas……..I love Christmas yummmmmmmmmm

Thank you so much to all the wonderful shoppers who stopped by to say hello I truly wish you all a Merry Christmas.

18 days to Christmas,  can you believe it?  What I am more shocked by is that it’s only 4 days until Bazaar bizarre …….and my final show of the season.   Speaking of shows I figured  I’d give  you a little pictorial update of the last couple of weeks…..

The crafty fair…….

The Rockford handmade market which was a wonderful show,  Danielle the organizer had the prairie st. brewhouse looking so beautiful and Christmmassy  it was a delight just to be in there.   I was thrilled to be included with so many talented creative people all from the Rockford area…….I got so much cute schtuff  like the cutest little sock monkey from socks that rock,  I seriously kept having to drag myself away from staring at her booth as I wanted all her little zombies to come home with me.  I also got  2 fabulous knit ornaments from glissknits and the coolest Christmas stocking made from a burlap coffee sack from burlapworks,  it’s so cool and unique and looks totally fab hanging at my fireplace.

We got our tree on Sunday and yes it came home the traditional way

Aaaaaah nothing like driving home from the tree lot with a 6 foot tree sticking out the back of the mini cooper to make me feel all festive.

So that’s all for now,  as I’m busy trying to get new critters for Bazaar Bizarre……….

eeeeeeek I am so excited for this show,  I love Cleveland!!!!!

Usually a blog post doesn’t happen because I have nothing to tell you guys, or nothing much has been going on in Stabbyland………but this time the complete opposite is true.  Stabbyland is bursting at the seams with news and fun stuff.

First of all my winter show schedule is starting to come together and looks like this

Oct 30th – Rally to Restore Sanity/March to Keep Fear Alive at the Gateway Arch

This will be so cool,  it’s affiliated with the daily show’s rally that is going on simultaneously in Washington DC (how I miss living in DC……..sigh) and will have a mini craft fair at the base of the St. Louis arch…….sweeeeeeeeeet.

November 6th – Red Sled Holiday Bazaar at Ogden school La Grange Ill 9 – 3

Love the Red sled show!!

November 14th – The Crafty Fair Madison Wi

This should be so much for fun,  it’s organized by Rosy of recreative crafts and I just love her.

November 27 and 28, 2010 11am – 5.00pm  -Bucktown Bazaar – weekend after Thanksgiving at the Holstein Park field house Chicago Illinois.

December 2nd – Rockford Handmade Market –  from 4-10pm at the Prairie Street Brewhouse Rockford Ill

I can’t wait for this one…….it sounds bizarre to say I have never done a craft show in Rockford when it is where I live but there ya go it’s the odd truth.  It will be nice to not have to drive for hours or get a hotel and i’ll get to meet other creative crafty Rockford types……yaaaaaaaaaaaaay win win.

December 11th and 12th – Bazaar Bizarre – 78th Street Studios, 1300 W. 78th St, Cleveland OH 10am – 5pm

Love me some bazaar bizarre plus it has the double bonus of hanging out in Cleveland with Oblina knit and her booth mate Michelle and maybe even the rather awesome knitgrrl

So now you see why I haven’t been blogging, I’ve been mega stabbying in preparation for these awesome events.

I did manage to finally check out Zip Dang in Madison this past weekend though…….yaaaaaaaaaaay it was awesome.  It’s owned by the rather fabulous Natalie of Orangyporangy and her hubby Mike and they have done a tremendous job of putting together an absolutely gorgeous store.

I got this incredibly cool 1950’s era vintage pendleton wool jacket

and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love it…….I can’t even bear to put it in the closet as it makes me smile to even see it……I’m pretty sure it’s going to be extremely well worn this winter (spring, summer, autumn).

The other brilliant bit of news is that the Glitterworkshop is opening a new Brick and Mortar store……..yaaaaaaaaaay !!!  It was a sad day when Naomi closed the original store on East Johnston but the new glitterworkshop is going to be bigger and better and over on Mineral road.  Can’t wait for it to open!

I’ll blog soon (promise) showing the new wintery goodies I’m working on……..

Yaaaaay what a fabulous weekend in O’fallon……..it was so much fun and the absolutely perfect way to retire the e z up for the year.

Of course I’ll share how I set up my booth

And the greatest thing of the weekend was that I was right beside my crafty buddy EKRA so I was able to pester her ….errrm I mean help her all day (ahem) look here I am being helpful

The weather on Saturday was absolutely perfect and lots of critters found new wonderful homes

The pink elephant was promptly named Cogsworth,  which I think is rather brilliant and fitted him brilliantly.

Norm the captured gnome found the best new home ever……….He’s going to permanently reside at the O’Fallon public library where he’ll be on display with the fairy tale books,  he’ll love that and hopefully he’ll quit planning on escaping now.

So it was a fabulous weekend,  I met a ton of wonderful people and had a lot of fun………I sure do love me some Strangefolk!

And now it’s back to stabbying as I have some major restocking to do……..