We had sooooo much snow last weekend it was what the people in the know call a noreaster  (which Markie thought was a made up word….dummy)  so of course we lost power for a few days again…..brrrrrrrr it was chilly,  thank god for pussycat blankets.

We went to the last outdoor Sowa Market on Sunday (losing power is a great reason to go out and about on a chilly day) . It was so much fun as it was the Market of the living dead and vendors and shoppers were decked out in the best Halloween costumes.  I wish I’d remembered to bring my Harry Potter sorting hat…….there really aren’t that many excuses to go out and about in it and I clearly messed up by missing my one great opportunity….boooooo

Maureen arrived to stay with us this week

And I got to tell you I absolutely love her!!!  She took even longer than past critters as I gave her individual “spikeys” all over her and I totally adore how tactile and sweet she is.

She’s looking forward to this weekend as it is the official start of the holiday shows……..wooooohoooo.  So if you are in the area please come by and wish the critters a Happy Holiday

Saturday  the 5th of Nov 9 am to 3 pm at the Dr John C Page School in West Newbury

And then on Sunday the 6th of Nov

So we are very excited to start the holiday shows,   ooooh I love the holiday show countdown,   it’s like a timer to the countdown to how long it is till I can  stuff my face with mince pies and sweeties in the name of the holidays………mmmmmmmm mince pies.

I hope to see you at the shows this weekend.

I love, love, love custom requests…….particularly custom requests for computer game guys.  This is what I was working on last week

I had so much fun figuring out how to make Birdo……..

I was really pleased with how she turned out.  Baby Mario was fun too

But I think Toadette was probably the most fun……..love her pink piggytails

So many thanks Genevieve……..I hope they add a little something special to your Christmas tree.  I’m working on a new big critter now that hopefully I’ll be able to share with you soon.

I always love coming up with new Christmassy goodies but I always am hesitant to show them too soon.  It’s an interesting quandary for me as there is nothing I hate more than walking into a store that has set up for Christmas and it’s not even the end of July……I mean really?  are they serious?  So yes I know it’s a little early and I don’t want to panic anyone about Christmas so keep breathing as you enjoy my new Christmas offerings

I have a few other goodies still to take piccies of  but these are my favorite.  I LOVE the  Knitting Santa’s,  something about a crafting santa makes me smile. I have of course listed them in the shop so snag ’em while they are fresh.

I have been busy over here in Critterville and I figured it was about time I showed what I’ve been up to .  I’ll have a list of shows to post soon too………I’m super excited to be doing shows in Boston it will be nice to have a change of venues and start new holiday traditions.

……hurricanes hardly happen,  but in Massachusetts!!!  Nah they hardly do here either,  but when they do!!!!  Boy oh boy.  It sure has been an interesting couple of weeks in Beantown.  The day before  hurricane Irene blew through the East Coast,  Markie took part in a crazy bike challenge in Deerfield called D2R2 .  So not only is it a crazy, hilly,  long route he of course added to the challenge by doing it on a fixed bike (no gears) ……….what a dummy………I mean guy……what a guy……yeah, yeah that’s what I meant, ahem. He blogged about it here if you care to read his side of the day.

The  hurricane was starting to approach just as he finished,  so he got a little soaked at the end,  but didn’t he do well?

I had a lovely time in Deerfield while Markie was having fun.  Deerfield has a historical neighbourhood that has preserved the colonial and Federal houses of the first settlers. So after I had wandered around the village romancing with the idea of being around in the 16oo’s,  I brought out my trusty wool bag and got to work under a giant oak tree.  It was so nice (although slightly odd)  as it was right beside a working dairy farm.   So I heard the incredibly loud bleeting of sheep with every stab.  I like to think they were bleeting their approval of my use of wool.

The weather was so absolutely perfect,  it’s hard to believe that in only a few hours it had completely changed.  So back home we battened down the hatches and prepared for Irene……..and we were actually pretty lucky as she was not as bad as we were expecting (phew).  We did lose electricity for about a day and a half……which completely killed all my romantic notions of the past as I was going out of my mind with lack of internet, tv and lights after about 30 mins.    My initial thought of needle felting,  when we lost power,  were stymied at the realization that I do need some light or my fingers will bleed……. a lot.

I did add another new guy to the fold this week though……….Meet Inka

Inka is a Sloth bear,  but he’s more of a teddy bear really as he is obsessed with all the things from the 1950’s……..I will add him to the shop soon.

And in other stabby news I am happy to report that I will be vending at the Hingham Shipyard Holiday market this winter

I have applied to a few other shows so keep your fingers crossed for me that I have a few more to add to my holiday schedule.

I am just loving my new apartment,  we have a balcony which is brilliant for sitting out and enjoying the weather but doubley brilliant for enjoying the chirpers

We have a lot of other birdies that come and enjoy our feeder but I managed to have my camera near me when the grosbeak, cardinals and jay stopped by (which is really rare for me as normally I’m not at all prepared).

It certainly has been very exciting for one new critter………Spencer

Spencer is the neighbor’s cat,  but he just loves hanging out with us……….especially at lunch time and dinner time or if a new fire is lit in the grate………….unless of course the neighbors are home.  I’ll add Spencer to the shop  which I’m excited about doing as he will be the first new critter that I’ve added for ages.

Last week I found myself with more green wool than I thought,  so what could I possibly make……….

It’s my favourite Mario game character Yoshi!!!  He was very, very fun to make,  I almost didn’t want to call him finished as I was enjoying making him so much,  but he is and I LOVE him  I added him to the shop already.

So in Stabby news I am in full on crafting panic mode  in preparation for my first summer show on Saturday in Cleveland.  We are making a long weekend of the trip so I am looking forward to that almost as much as the show.  But seriously I am freaking out about wether I have enough critters……..or maybe I have too many? maybe there the wrong critters?……..should I make (fill in blank) instead?  and I have so much organizing to do maybe my time would be better spent getting on with that……..gaaaaaaaah!!!!  Just need to take a breath and go with the flow…………….

I thought I’d share a fun piccie from this weekend in Chicago

It’s Sally my mini cooper in front  of the one and only Superdawg,  this was our first trip to Superdawg despite living in the Chicago  land area for almost 4 years but I doubt it will be our last as the dawgs were pretty darn tasty………and the supercute packaging had me  hooked before I even took a bite………mmmmmmm the first bite yummmmmmm

Ok back to full on panicking………I mean stabbying.

I just got the fantastic news that I have been accepted to the Crafter’s round up  August 7 + 8 Saturday and Sunday at Chase Park

So exciting and makes my Summer show schedule (so far) look like this……

Saturday  July 3 2010, 12631 Larchmere Cleveland Ohio

August 7th and 8th  The Crafters round up at Chase Park Chicago Illinois

The Summer Craftacular In Madison, WI

So exciting…….the tent is going to get a good workout this summer.

I also got a few captured critters made this week

A little ladybird under a tree and a teeny brown mouse and his hunk of cheese…….It’s kinda hard to take a good picture of the captured critters as the glass reflects a lot so I  took piccies of them uncaptured so to speak

These lil’ guys will be heading to their new home at Dandy things this Saturday…….although I kinda want to keep ’em (what else is new huh?)

Alrighty back to work as I am busy, busy, busy……….mostly freaking out about the excitement of shows and tents and sunshine eeeeeeeeek .

Ok so everyone loves the weekend…….that’s kinda  a no brainer right?  But this weekend I especially love as I’m going to see the rather brilliantly funny Joel Mchale at the Chicago theatre.  I Love Joel Mchale his comedic timing on the soup always has me in stitches, no one can say chicken tatrazini and make me need to weeeeee quite like Joel (in a good way).  And for the longest time I’ve always wanted to see something at the Chicago theatre so this really is a win win weekend……..plus we are staying at the Palmer hilton hotel for the night so we don’t have to endure the late night drive back to Rockford yaaaaaaaaaaaay life is good.

I have a new critter I’d like you to meet too

THis is Smithy,  and he’s a bit of a scally wag…….he is looking for a forever home though so I will add him to the shop asap.

Have a great weekend.

Like you didn’t know already huh?  Well I guess not what with my love of all things Mario related,  I just had to add Bullet Bill to the collection

I made a couple of these guys as this weekend is the Spring Fling Craftacular at the High Noon Saloon in Madison Wisconsin.   If you are in the Madison area you should come check us out,  lots of great crafters and artists and the first 25 shoppers get a free goody bag wooohooo you may even find a little stabby goodie in there……..(hint you will).

Anyway going back to the geekery theme of this post I also made Pacman

Growing up my sister had a pacman game where the whole game looked like pacman and it was soooooo awesome I was forever borrowing it,  so I figured pacman could really be awesome to add to my geekery line……..I can’t stress enough how tricksy he actually was to make though.  I know, I know he’s just a ball with limbs as Mark kept helpfully pointing out, but the importance of making him completely round and getting his mouth just right was shockingly difficult.  I figure he’s totally worth it though as he’s very cute and of course I’ll add him and Bullet Bill to the shop later today.

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.