Wooohooo this weekend I reached 100 sales on Etsy………and I did it in under a year………wooohooooo.   Sorry I don’t mean to toot my own horn,  but I never thought when I opened my Etsy store I would ever get to a hundred sales so needless to say I am very excited about it.

And of course  I am very greatful to all the people who have made a purchase from the critter store….thank you so much for liking my work and supporting an independant artist,  and for being wonderful of course.

So now I’m thinking of new critters for the shop and goodies for Summer to surprise you all with……….hmmmmm

Well I am not sure there is a problem exactly but it feels like I haven’t made a critter for ages, and yet I have been busy everyday with the critter world…………..I had to remedy this asap!!!!

About a month ago I had Jen of hanks in the hood custom dye me some wool in pinks and purples because I had a critter in mind but then I got distracted by the peepers, which isn’t a bad thing really, I already told you how I love making them……but this is who I had in mind….

The Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. I love the Cheshire cat and have wanted to make him for ages so obviously I am very pleased with how he turned out and I already listed him in the shop. I think I really want to make some of the other characters, particularly the white rabbit and maybe some flamingos……..but we will see.

And in other news I am trying to get another Art-o-Mat project completed…..it has been waaaaay to long since I sent them anything and I love being part of the project so I am trying to get on with it.

Wow time goes by fast when you are having fun huh?  I am genuinely very surprised that it’s March already……probably because March used to mean in my mind that Spring was coming and snowdrops would be erupting through the ground and in DC it meant the start of the gorgeous cherry blossoms at the tidal basin (and all over town).  In the midwest however I woke up to another dusting of snow and the news that more is on the way……….waaaaaaaaaa.

I however have been using this weather to my crafting advantage and made another new kit this weekend……

I am really addicted to making the lil’ peepers so I figuered I should document the process and make a kit,  and I think it’s a great timely Easter craft too (this is so unlike me……normally I would have this great holiday idea 2 weeks after the event so I am feeling rather chuffed with myself).  So it’s up in the store now.

Too long ago to remember………(I am a little embarassed to recall how long exactly)  I got a request to make a new felting kit.   The lovely lady requested  a penguin kit and who was I to say no?  I mean I think the kits are great and I love thinking that I am in some way responsible for spreading the needle felting love.  Anyway thankfully she was very patient with me (thanks Kim)  and I finally completed the project on Friday………..here it is

So I hope Kim has fun making her little penguin……..and I hope to get more kits made and up in the store ASAP.

Ok,  and now the goodies for me……..I am so excited with my latest purchase from Etsy seller MissBeahavin I just had to share it with you.

It’s the little Papier Mache chick pictured with my little peeper to give you an idea of how precious he is.  I just love MissBea’s work and he is the 2nd of her pieces that I am thrilled to own,  and I am sure there will be more to come as she is so talented.

And in completely unrelated news spare a though to my poor little guy Lewis

He’s at the vet today saying goodbye to his “boys”  awwwwww  I always feel guilty about taking the kitties to get this procedure……but I realise it’s the sensible thing to do……..

Poorbaby

Maybe it’s because of my diet or maybe it’s just because I am food obsessed…….probably the latter. But I have really gotten into making  felted  pastries. Don’t worry I haven’t gotten so food deprived that I am risking hairballs, they are going to be heading to a new store opening in Madison (along with some critters of course) and I can’t wait to see them there.

Here are some of the cakey goodies

MMMmmmmm cakes, s’not fair…………I wanna cake………Dammit!!!! Curse my huge bottom and wibbly thighs.

About a week ago I got Jen of Hanks in the Hood to custom dye me some wool in wacky bright pinks and purples. I was thinking of making the Cheshire cat………but when the wool arrived I instantly thought peeps. You know what peeps are right? The bright marshmallowy chicks natorious at Easter time, anyway my Easter chickies turned out like this 

I love holding the little fellers, it makes me feel like Mary Poppins in the scene where she is singing A spoon full of sugar and the birdie whistles along with her………..anyway I wanna make a few more of these little guys, just cos’ I like ’em.

I also made some candies……….although these might cause a hairball so don’t eat them!!! These are for a little something I’ll let you know about later……..aren’t I a tease?

I do really love the Craftaculars…….mostly because the other vendors and organisers are brilliant. Special thanks to Glitterworkshop and Ekra for again putting on a fantasticaly organised show.

The weather got pretty ropey in the afternoon, when I looked out the window at one point I was sure we were in a giant snow globe and someone had just given us a really good shake, but thankfully it didn’t deter the wonderful folk of Madison from turning up and supporting independant crafters. Anyway I thought I’d share a piccie of my booth

So upon seeing the piccies……..the diet has started (again) waaaaaaa . I got some fantastic cards and pins from Space Oddities and I loved that I was lucky enough to be beside Kitty Girrlz yarns‘ booth again she really is fantastic on her spinning wheel and she had some fantastic valentine yarn with kitty beads through  it which must look fantastic knitted up……..damn my lack of knitting abilities.

After the show and on the recommendations of a lovely customer we headed on over to Brasserie V for a few Belgian beers……yum, I highly reccommend you check it out if you are a fan of decent beer and the food was fantastic too.

So it was a great day, thanks to everyone

Remember tommorrow is the Valentine Craftacular at the High Noon in Madison WI where me and the critters (and 20 other brilliant crafters) will be from 10 am until 4.00pm so if you are in the area please pop on over and say hi.

So today is the crazy hectic job of packing all the critters up (something they are not that keen on) and not forgetting any show essentials like extension cords and tape, and trying to keep everything in a reasonably easy to find order……..not my strongest point.

I am really excited though……I loved the Christmas craftacular it was a ton of fun. I am really hoping to try and get organised enough to take part in more shows this year, guess I should start researching that now……..and being more productive in the critter makin’

So I was trying to think of things for the store with Easter in mind and I came up with these little bock bocks.   I’ve mostly gone into hibernation mode here at the stabby base camp,  I really hate being cold.  I had an idea to go out and take lots of pics of the frozen rock river to post on the blog……..mostly to show my parents who now reside in Spain just how cold it is.  I don’t think people fully grasp just how cold cold really is………especially when they are sitting on their terrace in the sun saying really minus 20 gee………grrrrrrr.  Anyway I just can’t face going out in the cold,  so no frozen river pics here……..for now at least.

I told you I was thinking about Valentiney critters…….well meet the love imp

He’s a cutie…….he’s closely related to the cupid’s but it’s a different branch of the family tree (if you know what I mean…..ahem)

He’s one of the little guys responsible for inappropriate crushes and bizarre hot flushes when he uses his little poker tail to give you a jab.  He’s not a bad little imp as imp’s go he just likes to shake things up a bit.

And did you hear the news?   I had to pick myself up of the floor when I heard……..brace yourself……….The New Kids On the Block are reforming…………scrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmm.

oh oh oh oh oh the right stuff……oh sorry I ‘m off again.  I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it I lurved them when I was a kid picture me up front and center if they do tour again….it will be odd to be in a sea of 30 – 40 year old women screaming at 40 year old men  though……hmmmmm maybe I will buy the dvd instead.