Beet Cake

Yesterday my dear pal Lindsay send me a link to a most wondrous video. Not only is it practical (it is the recipe for a beet cake) but it is also a masterful work of art. Seriously. Take a moment and absorb:

beet cake from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

So? Are you dying to make beet cake as much as I am? I wonder how this recipe would taste with spelt flour....hmm...well here's a link to the recipe if you're feeling adventurous. Happy last day of June!

What I've been up to...

As my crafty to do list grows and grows I am happy to say that I finally got to cross off a few items! Woo hoo! Item number one? A Totoro key chain for Sarra:


Isn't he sweet? I picked up some new white felt last time I was in Victoria too so he was a treat to work on! I've never done a key chain before (I tend to stick to brooches) but I figured a little ribbon and a key ring would do the trick! She was also lucky enough to pick up my soot sprite magnets too! Look at the Studio Ghibli goodies all together:


Aren't they cute? I haven't been listing my left over mini break crafts because of the postal strike but now that Canada Post is back in action I'll try harder to get them in the shop! Of course the soot sprites won't make it there (since Sarra snatched them up) and neither did my avocado brooch (since my friend Jordan claimed that one). Perhaps one of these days I will get to making more of those items for the shop, but chances are I'll be too busy preparing for the summer farmer's market!

And speaking of the Artisan's Market...I got around to making a whole bunch of photo clips to sell there:


Oh aren't they fun! Now for the weather to clear up so my table won't be a rained out windy mess this Saturday. Wish me luck!

Get ready!

Is it just me or does time seem to fly by ridiculously quickly? Summer is here (although with all the rain storms it has been hard to tell) and that means the summer craft market is about to start! Woo! With no Bizarre Bazaar to partake in this year I've signed up for the Artistan's Square Market which is conveniently just around the corner (sort of) from the Kamloops Farmer's Market! Hooray! Here's the poster:


That's right folks, get your spending cash ready because I'll be peddling my wares this Saturday downtown! I even bought a tent this year (exciting I know) so hopefully all my last minute preparations will all come in line for a fantastic turnout and a wonderfully awesome first time at the market! Look for me and a display that looks something like this:


Ok, so that was last year's biz baz set up, but I will keep the same basic design (neutral backdrop, attempted multiple levels of items, and colour popping items)! And speaking of goods...here's a little (slightly outdated) montage of the sorts of items I will be selling:


Hurrah! I hope you are getting as excited as I am and I really hope anyone in the area will stop by and say hello! I even have a few "thanks for reading my blog and being awesome" goodies for blog readers so when you come by be sure to mention that and get your freebie (while supplies last...)! Yeah! Ok...now back to work crafting up a storm. See you Saturday!

Thrifted Goods - Part II

Remember those fun thrifted goods I picked up this past Thursday? Well I'm putting them (well...one of them...) to use holding dinosaurs:


Rar! Don't those dinos look at home in that pyrex? I think so. You may wonder why I have such a selection of plastic prehistoric creatures - but here is a not so subtle hint:


Hehehe! That's right! I am one step closer to my dream of a gold dino terrarium! And yes...that t-rex is way too big for that jar, but the little guys just didn't have the same effect for that image. Now to get on with the planting and painting to complete this project...wish me luck...

Thrifty Thursday...on a Sunday

This past Thursday the stars aligned and somehow (seriously, it was quite the anomaly) a bunch of the girls from work and I all managed to have the same day off! Finally we had the chance to do all those things we always talk about doing "one day"! Hooray!

We met up bright and early and started the day off with some vintage cabochon stud buying. Ok, so I felt a little like a peddler selling my wares out of a Tupperware container at a coffee shop, but they had asked me to bring them to look at and I did offer them a wicked "you're my friends so I won't charge you full price" deal! My tub o' earrings dwindled a bit as my wallet grew and when we were all done we were ready to hit the town! First stop - thrift shopping! We started out at my favourite thrifty destination and after some wicked wheeling and dealing we went downtown to continue with the thrifty goodness! Look how excited everyone is:


Next it was off to lunch! Post-food we did some lovely loose leaf tea shopping and a quick trip to the mall! Oh my! The day was jam packed with wonderful moments, great finds, and loads of laughs. Clearly we need to arrange more of these joint days off things more often!

Now for the fun part - showing off my sweet finds! The best buy of the day award definitely goes to Alanna the proud new owner of a $1 faux wood tin porta file:


Ahahaha. It is so much fun going to thrift stores with piles of girls. Sure you may miss out on a few items (no, I don't really have a use for the porta file, but I do think it is hilarious), but you see so many more great things than when you go alone! If you think shopping with one set of eyes is effective you should try seven. Just when you think you've seen every last pre-loved gem in a shop, someone points out something that you clearly need to make your life complete. Ok, perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but it was a very, very fun day. Okay - now onto my finds (in list form too!):

1) Mason Jars!

Second hand stores proved to be a great (and supremely cheap) source for glass jars! They had loads of different shapes and sizes of mason jars perfect for a whole assortment of crafts I've been dreaming about! I got a nice thin tall one to use as a flower vase, a neat mid sized jar with an awesome glass lid (which I've never seen before...and don't really have any plans for...I just liked the lid), and three short squat jars I'm hoping to use as indoor herb planters! Sounds fun hey?

2) Pyrex number two!


My minute collection of pyrex is growing with my second cute find! It is the exact same size and shape as my first piece (the orange wheat one) too! How handy!

3) Glass Jar!!!


Yes, I am so excited about this find that it deserves three (yes three) exclamation marks! This baby cost me a mere $2 is will be perfect for a project I have planned...any guesses?

4) Old lady clip on earrings!


Another perk of thrift shopping with friends? They tell you when that long white pleated skirt you tried is both hideous and unflattering. Apparently I have a keen eye for picking out the most granny chic (or in many cases not chic at all) pieces and these earrings were no exception! They called to me like a shiny gold and silver beacon and I just had to have them! Unlike many of the old lady items I tried on and got talked out of, these babies can be a subtle addition to my wardrobe. Good call girls. Also the fact that they are clip on is sort of exciting since they won't stretch out my earring holes and are surprisingly comfortable to wear! What a buy!

I also picked up some super delicious teas and a few cleavage concealing bandeaus which I didn't include in the thrifted purchases list since buying consumable goods and undies from second hand stores is pretty gross. So what do you think? Do you ever try shopping with mobs of females? Anyone else have any fun thrift shopping stories to share? How do you like my finds?

Three things.

The Purl Bee does it again with yet another inspirational project including three of my favourite things - citrus fruit, felt crafting, and coasters! Oh my! Take a peek:


What a bundle of summery wonderfulness those are! I have never even thought about making felt coasters (and I do love a good hand stitching project)! Ah! Revolutionary light bulb moment! Ok, perhaps I am being a big enthusiastic about the idea...but I do think they'd be fun! How about you? What do you think?

Friday Find: Shoeology

Has anyone ever made their own shoes before? Sure I've experimented with crocheting some slippers - but sewing them? Hmm. It certainly has me intrigued and the lovely patterns from etsy's Shoeology are totally the way to go! Check out these babies:


Aren't they awesome? I am a sucker for a nice tweed! Shoeology's patterns include full tutorials with pictures and everything so I'm sure they are simple enough to follow too! Check out a few more shoe designs available:


Oh! I'm not totally sure I would commit to wearing some homemade shoes out for any excursions, but they would be fun around the house! Maybe even out for coffee? I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for some cute shoe making fabric (wouldn't they be cute in a nice red herringbone?) and see if I can manage up some free time to try them out. How about you? Are you for the challenge of sewing your own shoes?

Polymer Clay Carving Train!

Back in April I decided to (finally) get around to one of the tutorials I'd been swooning over and made myself a carved polymer clay geometric shape necklace:


I was thrilled with the result, made a bunch (one of which I gave to my crafty peeps swap partner RobbieLee), and wear them all the time! In fact, I'm even planning on hosting a craft night with some of the fine ladies from work so we can all make some polymer clay pendants! What fun! But ever since my crafty efforts I've been seeing carved clay projects pop up all over the internet! Just check out the lovely selection of necklaces from Aesthetic Outburst:


Or how about the faceted magnets from the Creature Comfort's blog:


I just love the gradation of colour on those magnets! And the upper left necklace (the one mixed in with a swirly yellow bead) is the absolute ultimate! I'm not sure if you've hoped on the carved clay crafty trend train yet - but I certainly recommend it! Sculpy is a great craft project medium since it is relatively inexpensive (especially with coupons), it's ultra easy to use (it totally doesn't dry out like other clays), and if you don't like what you come up with you can just smash it and try again! Hooray! Now to get myself organized and plan a date for that craft night...who's in?

A post for Wendy.

Do you ever see a project and think, "that would be perfect for (insert friend's name)"? Well I certainly have that feeling often (usually for Lindsay and Sarra who I can just tag on Pinterest), and this next project is just perfect for my friend Wendy. She is one of the handiest (and nicest) people out there and is always coming up with unique and interesting uses for ordinary items! What's that? You're throwing out perfectly good wooden pallets? Why I'll take those and make them into a whole range of neat projects like they did at Organic Authority! How about a new dining room table, floor boards, china display, coffee table, or bed? Just take a peek:


Oh my! The possibilities are endless! Time to get your upcycling thinking caps on and get creating! Oh and just in case you needed a few more items on your new home "to do" list, I hope you enjoyed some inspiration for any wooden pallets you save from the dump! Happy Wednesday!

Botanical anomalies

Have you ever noticed that when you grow your own veggies you get quite a few that don't really look anything like the ones from the grocery store? Or while we're at it - that they don't even taste the same? Well this is certainly the case for carrots (at least in my experience). Just take a peek at this carrot genetic anomaly:


Pretty cool right? When I saw the article on Cup of Jo's blog about German artist Uli Westphal I just had to share it with all of you! He was appalled by the enforcement of agriculture standards making every vegetable look the same so he went down to the local farmer's market and took pictures of all the botantical forms of each fruit and veggie. Just take a peek at a few more of his findings:


Aren't they interesting (and probably really hard to cut and cook with)? He compiled his images into one magical rainbow print of weird fruit:


Neat! You can buy it off his website too! I'm definitely adding this one to my kitchen wish list (hint hint my birthday is only 2 months away...). What do you think? Do you love gimpy veggies as much as I do?

i love mason jars

I've been in love with mason jar crafts for quite some time now. Whether it be filling them with mustaches for a craft show display, covering them in doilies and using them as a plant pot, or painting them for flower vases mason jars are the perfect blank canvas for a whole variety of crafty adventures! Lately, I've been swooning over mason jar lanterns from pinterest - just check out these babies made with a little wire and a few candles:


Aren't they gorgeous? I think they would be perfect for a nice summer garden party or wedding! Not that I have a yard...or time...or a marriage to plan for...but hey, they are cool right? Or if you're in for a little more technological mason jar craft how about adding lights to them:


OoOo! Aren't they awesome? I'd love to make a clustered light fixture like the project on the right there (and you can even tint the jars using a little food colouring and glue!). What fun! For now I think I'll just stick to dreaming about making these or maybe I'll start collecting jars until I can rationalize a project where I can use them! Hooray! How about you? Are you a mason jar fan? Have you seen my pinterest jar wall?

All in the name of progress!

Even though Canada Post has been on strike (meaning my application for the Artisan's Square Market hasn't been received/accepted), I've been trying to craft up a storm to prepare for a summer of Saturday craft markets! I'm going to go on Lindsay's word that, "[I] am the best crafter in town!" and hope that I've made it past the juried selection so all my hard work isn't going to waste - but I figure it can't hurt to have extra stock! I thought I'd share a few of the projects I've actually made headway on even if they aren't really new as far as my shows go!

Item #1 - Cabochon Rings!


Because my vintage cabochon goods were so popular at my last Fabulous Finds sale in Kelowna I thought I'd restock my rings for a nice flowery summery addition to the market. I couldn't find the same roses I used many moons ago for the last set I made so I went with chrysanthemums instead. I'm loving how bold and colourful they are and I even went with two different sizes to suit your ring needs!

Item #2 - Cabochon Studs!


Why yes - these are very similar to the rings (except, your know, they go in your ears)! I went with three different styles of flowers (two roses and the chrysanthemum poms) in some more summery fun colours. Since the reds, pinks, black, and cream tones sold like hot cakes at my last show I tried to make a few more of those while still keeping a few of my personal favourites (I am in love with the pale blue and green) in there for good measure! I showed these to a few girls at work and they think they will be a hit so here's hoping!

Item #3: Mini Moo Freebies!


Okay...so this isn't really a craft show specific item, but I was in desperate need of making more of these for my etsy orders! Micheals even had ribbons on sale last week so I stocked up in loads of bright colours! Then it was just a matter of punching, cutting, and tying and voila! Mini Moo bookmarks for all! Hooray!

Since I'm still waiting for a few more supplies to arrive in the mail (which will hopefully be sooner rather than later with the whole postal strike deal), I am working on a few fun projects I already have the goods for. I did subtly hint at my next craft project in a blog post a few days back - any guesses? Or suggestions? I'm always up for crafting!

one sketch a day

I've been seeing lots of other bloggers out there share their sketchbooks and I figured I would join in on the fun! Fraser and I bought "one sketch a day" journals back in May and decided to draw together each night as a fun couples project:


The drawing "together" part didn't turn out exactly as we had hoped (since we both have very different schedules) but we are managing to keep up with our books! So far I've been using mine as an outlet for new craft ideas (I'm sure you'll recognize a few of my craft projects on some of the pages) and also as a place to experiment with cute stuff! Let's take a peek at a few of my pages so far:


Lots of the pages I showed have the new button set design ideas I'm working on and the sketchbook has been a great place to brainstorm! What do you think? Which scribbles would you like to see developed into 1" pinback button form? How about any other inspiring themes I should sketch? I've got a good 316 days left in my sketchbook to fill up...

Friday Find: Benandi

Benandi shows us that quirky illustrations and shrinky-dink make amazingly fun accessories! Seriously - just look at selection:


Yup - I feel like I'm pretty much crafty soul mates with this shop. Take a gander at their Octopal:


What's that? Sea life, mustache, and a pirate? Yes sir. Pretty sweet. Check out all of Benandi's etsy shop for more awesomeness! Happy Friday!

Adventures in photo clips.

Ever since I started doing craft shows I have been on the lookout for more price tag holding clips. The ones I use now I've accumulated over the years (I think I actually bought most of them from dollar stores when I was in grade 10) and as my craft table expands it is always a challenge finding more! Until now...take a look at the awesome photo clips I found and customized this week:


Ah! That's right! I printed off some of my illustrated anthropomorphic friends on my new snazzy laser printer and slid them in my new price tag holding clips! Let's check them out at another angle:


Hurrah! Fraser and Jim liked them so much that we went back and bought the rest of the stock of clips and they convinced me to sell the spares as Scientific Culture photo holders. Now I just need to decide what designs would be more desirable to customers and how much to charge for them. What do you think?

Ad-tastic!

All the way back in February of 2010, my etsy pal Art Tales asked me to make up a little square ad for my shop so she could put it on her blog. I jumped on the opportunity and came up with this:


Not terrible for a first attempt if you ask me (since all of my photo editing up to this point involved MS Paint). It was simple, sort of science-y (since that is the underlying theme of my crafting after all), and cute! When I saw Leigh-Ann (of Freckled Nest) offer free advertising for the month of June to her readers I figured I should join in! After all, I am one of her readers (along with hundreds of other blogs I'm faithful to) and why pass up on the fun? Time for me to make a new square ad! Since I have long since sold out of the little love robot charms in my shop I figured it was time to freshen up my advertisement while still keeping the fundamental elements of my etsy shop and blog in check (being cuteness and science of course). This is what I came up with:


I tried to keep it pretty simple and eye catching and used my glassware illustration as a good representation of what I'm all about! Throw in some futura font words in there and bam! An ad was born! It is substantially easier this time after a year of playing with photoshop (hooray) and I am so pleased with how it turned out! Check out a screen shot of the ad on her blog:


Oooo! Do you see me there? Snuggled right between a picture of Leigh-Ann and Michelle's ad from Scissor Quirk? Eee! How exciting! What do you think? Does anyone out there pay for advertising? Do you think it is worth while?

Oh! And since we're on the topic of Freckled Nest and exciting things...I won her big May giveaway this past weekend! That's right - all of my hopefully entering to giveaways has finally paid off and I am absolutely thrilled! It is 9 different items from 9 amazing ladies!!! How lucky am I!? I'll probably be sharing more details about the prizes as they arrive (I am so stoked to be waiting for 9 parcels! You know I love my mail!) so stay tuned for more! Hooray!

Rainbow!

After a long weekend of fun socializing (and the inevitable realizing I'm too old for that much energy exertion) I decided to take a day to recuperate! I somehow managed to sleep in way past when I think "sleeping in" should involve (which is okay since I've been fighting off the flu for the last while) and once I got up and was rested I was ready to tackle the day!

Hooray for productivity right? Well...wrong. Instead I spent the afternoon/evening inside cleaning and all my other plans were damped (literally) by a day long rain storm! Why is it that my days off always have bad weather? Oh well - it did end with a wonderful rainbow! Check out the view from our front yard:


Isn't it brilliant? I love how eerie the streets looked with the super dark rain clouds and bright sun off the houses. I was much too close to the rainbow to get it all on one picture, but you can see some of the outer double rainbow action in there too! How nice!

I spent the rest of the evening planning out a whole slew of fun craft projects to prepare me for the craft show season (I'm hoping to get into the Artisan's Square show this summer at the farmer's market in town)! I figure I'll pump myself up with a bunch of small, fun, lower and mid priced items to really stock up my table and then work on some of the more tedious (and what I usually find kind of annoying when I'm pressured) projects later on when there is less stress to make them! Sounds like a plan right? Oh - and not to worry - I'll be sure to show you my crafts as I get working on them. What do you think I should work on for the farmer's market craft scene this year? Do you think I'll get in? Anyone else do busy weekly shows out there with tips for me? Hmm...I better get to work...

Bring on the ascot!

Being a big believer in simple staple clothing choices with bold accessories I'm sure you can guess how excited I was to see Here's Looking At Me Kid's ascot bow tutorial! Just look at how that one slice of fabric totally transformers her outfit:


Looks like ties don't need to be reserved just for males and this DIY offers an awesomely fabulous way to spiff up a plain outfit! How fun! I also like the option of an ascot over a full scarf since all that fabric can be unpleasant as the weather heats up. If you aren't totally sold just take a look at some pinteresting ascots:


Mmm! So many options! Looks like it's time for me to search my fabric stash for some suitable ascot bow making material! What do you think? Are you a bow fan?