Preparing for another yarn bomb. A bit last minute and only a week to prepare! This one has a color theme, which is kinda nice because all of the smaller pieces seem to go together as one large piece. Even though this is already a busy weekend, I'm trying to make as many in the color theme as possible since Friday we will assemble everything. I can't wait to see how it looks together with Tracy's pieces...hopefully pretty amazing. I've had to put a few things on the back burner to get this finished by Friday. I'm under a deadline to finish some yarn bombed pieces for a gallery showing next month, just glad that the largest piece is covered and only needs a little embellishment, but still a lot of smaller projects still undone. I'm a little worried about it, good thing I work well under pressure. I'll be able to make up for lost time next weekend, a serious marathon planned, new audiobook downloaded and looking forward to it. As far as today, it looks like I'll be out of the house the entire afternoon, so not much will be done as far as crocheting. The possibility of having some photos taken (which desperately needs to be done for the Etsy shop)is promising though, so not a total waste precious down time on my last day off before the event.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Chair-y Bomb!

CHAIR-Y BOMB


"NESSIE"



I know an update is long overdue...my hands are still busy stitching, so that's my excuse for the lack of blogging. My mother's bedspread is still unfinished, but at least she has decided that she wants a Queen sized bedspread instead of King since she has finally decided to downsize her bedroom furniture. This time of year I'm usually trying to get as much inventory as I can get done for the Fall season, my Etsy shop is empty except for patterns right now. It seems that whenever I prepare to work on inventory, another commissioned job seems to come up. So glad I really enjoy the work, especially around this time of year, which is usually pretty slow when it comes to crochet items.

I've done a couple more yarn bombing projects lately. On May 23rd, "Traci" (the accomplice) and I yarn bombed the front of the YMCA for a health fair. They really seemed to enjoy it and actually brought tables out front (which I had never seen them do in the past). There are actually a few pieces that are still out front, including the bike rack cover that was inspired by the Loch Ness Monster. The last piece I did was the child's chair "Chair-y Bomb" for a church benefit. I was told by the artist who commissioned me (and many other artists to paint or decorate chairs which were all auctioned) that my chair brought in the most $$$. We are discussing future yarn bombing projects for the very near future.

Lastly...I'm somewhat reluctantly getting into the photography props game as well and recently got a few professional photos of my first pieces. It's difficult for me to enter this field because of the sizing questions and then taking photos that are effective (without using any of those creepy life sized baby dolls). Still tweaking a few patterns, but I think I'm off to a pretty good start. There is also a new shrug pattern close to completion also. Stay tuned!

My hands have been busy stitching, finishing up the last of my custom orders just a few weeks ago. I am now trying to focus on the gift I had intended to finish by Christmas, (so many custom orders prevented me from working on it much at all) my mother’s specially requested king sized bed spread. It’s a little more than half done at this point, and so beautiful. I wish I could keep it for myself. She also requested pillow shams…we’ll see. There are A LOT of squares still left to be completed…all the same color. I’d like to finish this so I can have complete creative freedom and hopefully get a few new patterns done for this coming fall. When I have a big project like this that I’m trying to complete, I like to listen to audio books along the way. The last couple I listened to were re-visits of a couple of old favorites that I had actually read many years ago, so I purchased them on cds and listened from my mp3 player. I’m presently listening to a book I’ve owned, but haven’t taken the time to read (my text version is 1,138 pages), from a favorite author. Stephen King’s It. Based on the customer reviews, I had to get it and make this my next long listen since it was FINALLY available on audio. The narrator (Steven Weber) is superb! And I’ve heard some truly awful narrators. I’m about half way into the story right now, and I already know it will be a new favorite.

Other than that, I finally finished preparing my flower beds for spring. I widened the front bed and created another on the opposite side using the lasagna method. I also used hypertufa stones to border the beds. Since my Rosemary plant is flourishing, I plan to plant a few more favorite herbs in front along with some perennials. I'm pretty excited about selecting them. I also created a raised bed in the back/side of my house which I intend to use as a salad garden. I'm a little nervous about the "critters" that I may discovery, but I am arming myself with some gardening weapons and working on my courage also. Looking at all my little sprouts inside just aching to get outside in the new bed is helping. I want to see them thrive. We'll see how it goes.

Snow Day Sale - 15% YAY!!!

What a rare treat I have today! Snow fell on Alabama…and ICE, so NO WORK TODAY…yippee!

William and I were ill prepared for the storm because we had been immersed in a home renovation project that took a while longer than expected. A newly renovated office (laminate floors, paint, new desk, etc.) and new floors in the kitchen.

This is the first morning that we were able to sit at our new workspace, clad in pj’s and sipping hazelnut coffee…the beautiful snowy view from the patio was like the reward for all the hard work.

I my giddy-snow day-hookey day tone, I suggested him… “You should have a snow day sale today”. He chuckled, and I think he dismissed me because he continued doing whatever it was he was doing. I reminded him that he never paid up on the bet that he lost wherein he stated LAST MONDAY, “This floor will be done TODAY.” He sheepishly looked at me again. “You owe me…AND you had ALL WEEK and still didn’t deliver what you promised on Monday”. So…long story a little shorter, my husband will be providing 15% off your purchase of tree branch and exotic wood buttons today . These buttons look so great on hand knit and crochet items.

His shop can be found here: http://www.oruaka.etsy.com.
Please use Coupon Code JAN10SNOWDAY to receive your 15% off today only!

Bottletree Craft Bazaar 2010 - DAY TWO

MY BOOTH

SOME OTHER ARTISTS IN THE LAKE BUILDING LOCATION

BEST BOOTH DESIGN


Today there was a good turnout of people. William and I did pretty well today and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It felt like the day went by quickly, and I was happy about the hours not being too grueling (10-4), tomorrow it's from 11-4. I'm not looking forward to the daunting task of packing it all up again, it was so nice to leave everything set up each night though. Not every location had that luxury. Here are a few pictures of my set-up and the room.

Bottletree Craft Bazaar 2010

I absolutely LOVED being a part of this event last year. This is the 5th year that they've put it on. It has grown as I had predicted, and I'm sure will continue to. Last year, the Craft Bazaar was 2 days (Saturday & Sunday). Even at the 4 year point, it had already outgrown the Bottletree and was in about 2 separate locations nearby. This year, there are even more locations and a shuttle is provided. I love the location I'm in this year. Yet another beautiful old building right in the middle of being renovated. Beautifully finished concrete floors, brick walls with that grenecian plaster. I made sure that I was there at noon today to pick a nice location, the one wall with some sort of paint over grenecian plaster (I think)...we were trying to figure it out...it's really unique and sort of a washed out teal/green. I've taken a few pics...I'm going to make a few changes and then take more pics tomorrow of the entire room. The owner said he would show William and I his upstairs loft tomorrow, which I can imagine is just amazing. William and I are sharing a booth this year and the event is 3 days instead of 2. I'm already exhausted since I still had to go to work today and all the running around to set up and then having to go back to work...I'm pretty beat! I'm so glad it doesn't start until 10 and all the setting up is behind me. I'm about to pour a glass of wine and wind some yarn for sale tomorrow...what a perfect excuse to destash.

Gardendale Christmas Craft Show

William and I did our first booth together at the Gardendale Christmas Arts Festival this past weekend. We set up on Saturday only and are already talking about ideas for our next event which will be in about 2 weeks.