taking doilies too far

As you may already know, I am a huge fan of doilies.  I have a few tastefully placed around my home and even have my fair share of doily themed items.  That being said - I think this doily-esque item is taking it too far:

(source)

I'm not sure about you, but toilet seat covers (especially ones that go on the seat) gross me out.  How often do you think people wash those? Who decided they were a good idea? Not me. But if for some reason you think they're great the lacy teal one I just showed you has a free pattern online (link)...just make sure you throw it in the wash often please...

to market to market to buy a fat pig!

Well - it's official! I am taking part in the Kamloops Farmer's Market this Saturday from 8-12! Now I will frantically finish up some stock for the show and then (eep!) try to figure out a creative way to display it all! I will be sure to take lots of pictures to share with you once I'm all done - and in the meantime I will be working my buns off! Wish me luck!

going up a crazy level.

Just in case you aren't following me on Instagram or Twitter - here is what I was doing Monday night:

What is this you may wonder? Why it was my birthday celebration for one of my favourite Instagram cats - Seamus! It was also a perfect excuse to get an ice cream cake and enter the Seamus and Angus birthday contest - which I ended up winning! Looks like my cat loving craziness has moved up to a whole new level. I'll keep you updated with what my mystery winnings is when it arrives. What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever done? 

all the hoops!

My preparation for the farmer's market season isn't quite going as planned.  I was hoping to be up and running a few weeks ago but apparently it's taking a bit longer.  I still have a bunch of set up pieces Fraser is working on making for me - and when attempting to make new tablecloths for my tables I royally broke my sewing machine.  Seems like it will be a few weeks until I get my darling Pfaff back - but in the meantime I'm working on stocking up a storm!  I've been wanting to make more embroidery hoop art pieces for a while now so no better time than the present! Check out my stack:

Oh my! I'm now working on finishing off the edges and then tagging and pricing! So exciting! Once they are all finished I will do a reveal.  I really tried to appeal to different types and ages of people so hopefully you will agree! What have you been working on? Are you as terrible at estimating time to do things as I am? 

one of these things is not like the other...

(source)

The Happiest of Mail

One of my favourite parts of crafting is sourcing out and buying new supplies! Ok - so I actually really enjoy pretty much every aspect of the crafting process but buying things means I get to go shopping and (in most cases) get mail when I order online!  Sometimes I luck out and can find what I'm looking for locally but in most cases I end up on the wild world of the internet looking for unique and high quality parts I can use to create wonderful things! I've been especially busy loading up on supplies to prep for the summer and fall craft show season and since I order from all over the world (ok, mostly the states) I need to plan quite a bit ahead since shipping and customs can hold up my parcel by a good 4 to 6 weeks. Oh my! Time for me to plan ahead and invest a little money so I can make some money later on.

One parcel I am particularly pleased about getting is this baby! Any guesses on the contents? 

If you guessed pinback button machine making parts then you are right my friend! I finally (after years of searching) found a great button parts supplier and loaded up on three snazzy new products including:

1) 2.25" bottle opener/keychain backings! 
2) 1" zipper pull/keychain backings!!
and
3) retractable ID badge holders (that are just asking to be personalized with 1" buttons on the front!)!!!

How fun! I also got some more 1" regular button making parts since my stash was getting low too. Can you tell how excited I am? Looks like my homemade illustrated buttons are expanding from just pinbacks, magnets, and mirrors into all new and exciting territory! Now I just need to decide which of my drawings will be most sought after in which form and then find time to get making! Any thoughts? What anthropomorphic pal would you want on a bottle opener/zipper pull/ID holder? 

Pond Watching

A few weeks ago when my good pal Jim was visiting we spent a few mornings down at the park playing with my aerobie disc (which, unlike most objects I can successfully throw and catch).  The park we went to was the one by my parent's house which has three great baseball fields and a nice nature reserve pond to check out.  After a few hours of aerobie-ing I'd always want to go look at the pond and try to identify all the birds (which I'm pretty sure Jim finds annoying) and check out any babies that may be swimming around too! To my surprise this visit involved identifying more than just bird species! Take a peek:

Do you see him there? That adorable little furry mammal creature? Here's a more obvious picture:

Haha! Hello little swimming muskrat! The picture really doesn't do him much justice but let me tell you - he was ridiculously adorable (especially as far as rodents go)! What fun! I will have to keep going back and seeing if there are any new species to spot as the spring and summer months go on. So how about you? Do you ever dabble in wildlife identification?

Craft Show Progress

Well the summer market season seems to be sneaking up on us (or at least me)! I have applied (and been accepted) to do the farmer's markets here in town but am still working on getting my booth set up worked out (and making enough stock to actually have a decent table).  My goal was to have my first market be June 13th, but that is actually scarily close since I still need to:

1. Make a cazillion crafts to sell

2. Sew up new table cloths since my old ones are extra sad

and 

3. Have Fraser make me 4 or 5 new displays (ok. so that isn't really something I have to do...but I can't really do the market without a proper set up).

I suppose I could go unprepared but that isn't in my personality so an attempt at perfection will have to do and I will hopefully get it all going by the end or June at least.

In other market-y news I've applied to the Kelowna Etsy Made in Canada show for September! Last year they had 3000+ attendees and I would love to get in on that action! Look how thrilling that poster is:

That being said - if it is such a hot event I really hope I get chosen to be a vendor!  I have been on Etsy since 2008 and have a pretty unique line of products (science goods aren't the norm at these things) but I don't want to get my hopes up too high incase I don't get chosen.  Actually - if I don't get chosen I think I'd want to go to the market anyways and see why I didn't make the cut. Is that some level of self-torture? Potentially. But here's to hoping I get in...

In the meantime I will keep slaving away on crafty projects to build up that inventory! Anyone want to come help me? 

My poor nails.

I have always been someone who has thin nails.  I've taken different supplements and altered my diet to try to strengthen them up but nothing really seems to do the trick.  I've come to the conclusion (with research of course) that my weak thin nails are just a lovely part of having an autoimmune disease and I will forever paint them with strengthening nail polish to try to keep them together.  This doesn't always work out for me and I often end up with rips and cracks in them like this lovely one on my middle finger:

Gah! This picture is actually about a month old now and that nail is finally almost back to normal but it has certainly been a pain in the bum during the grow out process! I also quickly realized that I use that finger (and nail) a heck of a lot while working on crafts and when it is split that far down it is super painful and annoying to work around. 

So now I will pass the conversation over to you (you lovely readers you) and I'd love to hear any tips or tricks you have to keep your fingers looking their best.  Do you ever get rips in your nails? Do you just attempt to superglue them and cover them in nail polish in hopes of them surviving long enough to grow out? Do you ever dabble in the fake/gel/manicure upkeep some ladies do? If you paint your nails a bold (not neutral colour) do you look down at your hands and not recognize them like I do? Inquiring minds (well mind) want to know! I figure the secret to amazing nails is out there...I am just yet to find it...